Moon Knight
by Gemini14
Summary: A MKR/CCS Alternate Universe Crossover Fic! Yukito is the main focus of the fic somewhat, anyway as he fights alongside the...well, read to find out! ;; COMPLETE!
1. Default Chapter

Moon Knight

Chapter One: Summons and Magic

TOKYO TOWER

"What is this? Prep school field trip day?!" one girl remarked, as a whole troop of preps walked past them.

"Look! Here comes another school! Tomoeda High by the looks of it." Another said, as a mixed group of students walked in, just as a short, red haired girl barged through, trying to get to the prep school group. Instead of getting to her destination, she rammed right into one of the Tomoeda students, bowling him over.

"Gomenasai! I didn't mean to knock you down! Are you all right?" the redhead asked, as the boy looked down at her, with a calm smile on his face.

"It's all right! No harm done! Here, let me help you up!" the boy said, his mahogany eyes as warm as his smile. The redhead found herself blushing as the boy helped her up and it deepened when he dipped a polite now to her. Then, as though they had sensed something, the redhead, two other girls, and the boy all glanced at one another. It was then that a brilliant light lit up the sky.

"Help me save my world, Legendary Magic Knights!" a young girl's voice pleaded, before the floor gave way from beneath the four hapless teenagers. Seconds later, they found themselves falling through thin air. Without even thinking, the boy gathered the three girls into his arms and prepared for the worst. The worst never came. Instead of landing on hard ground, they landed on something soft.

"Eh……….? Nani??" the boy asked, as he released the three girls and looked around. 

"Look at that! A volcano, an ocean, and a mountain floating in the sky?!" the redhead stated, as she pointed out each of the locations.

"And a midday moon hanging over the mountain?" the boy said, as he pointed out the moon.

"Where in the world are we?!?" a blue haired girl asked, sounding completely agitated about the whole situation.

"I don't think we're in Tokyo, anymore." The boy said, as he adjusted his glasses slightly. 

"I don't think so, either." The third girl agreed, her voice soft and calm, despite the situation.

"What are we riding on, by the way?" the redhead asked, as she looked down at what she was sitting on.

"A giant flying fish, by the looks of it." The boy said, before the fish stopped at a cliff and sent them all tumbling.

"Ouch." The blue haired girl muttered, before giving the fish a scathing look. While the girls argued about where they were, the boy took a good look at his surroundings. He was amazed by the beauty he saw around him, but chuckled and shook his head when two of the girls face-faulted because of something the redhead had said.

"There's one good thing about being here." The blond said, cheerfully.

"Oh? What's that?" the blue haired girl asked.

"We have time to properly introduce ourselves!" the blond said, getting an excited agreement from the redhead and a face-fault from the blue haired girl.

"Good idea." The boy agreed, as he rejoined the group.

"I'll go first. My name is Houoji Fuu. I am fourteen years old and in the eighth grade." The blond said, with a smile.

"Okay. I'm Ryuuzaki Umi. I am also fourteen and in the eighth grade." The blue haired girl said, with the usual pompous air of a prep.

"I'm Shidou Hikaru, minna! I'm fourteen and in the eighth grade!" the redhead shouted, cheerfully.

"What?!" Fuu and Umi asked, in unison.

"We're both the same age?!" Umi yelped.

"No way! You look so young!" Fuu chimed in. The boy stood by and laughed, as Hikaru's age was questioned. Then they turned to him.

"What's your name, sir?" Fuu asked.

"My name is Tsukishiro Yukito. I am in the tenth grade and I am sixteen years of age." The boy replied, his hair looking almost silver in the sunlight.

"Enough of the chit-chat!" a male voice shouted, from overhead. Yukito jumped in front of the three girls, determined to protect them from anything. The owner of the voice landed in front of them, in a swirl of gold and silky white robes. When he stood to his full height, he was almost a head taller than Yukito!

"So you are the Legendary Magic Knights that Princess Emeraude had summoned…But you are only children!" the man said, his tone condescending.

"But still, we are here. Wherever here is." Yukito said, watching the other man carefully. Then the stranger smiled.

"Don't look so tense. I will not harm them, nor you, for that matter. My purpose is to teach you four magic. The magic you will need in order to become Magic Knights." The stranger said, when he'd noticed Yukito's expression. 

"Magic Knights? Sir, where are we and who 'summoned' us? Why are we here?" Fuu asked, getting a strange, sad look from the man.

"You are in Cephiro. You were summoned by Princess Emeraude to become the Legendary Magic Knights. You are here to save us, but you can't return to your own world." The stranger said, quietly, even though he had a pained look on his handsome face. The four teens stood where they were in shock. They would never return to earth?! Yukito looked down as the girls started bemoaning their extremely bad luck. His thoughts now turned to his grandparents. What would they do if he never came home?

"Are you sure?" Hikaru asked, in a tone that was a far cry from what it had been earlier. The stranger turned to her and noticed the sadness in her eyes.

"So I will never see my parents, or my brothers or friends ever again?" Hikaru asked, as tears came to her eyes. The man then got an almost ashamed look on his face.

"Well, there is one way." the man said, in almost a whisper. But Yukito had heard and was angered by it.

"Then why didn't you say so?!" Yukito asked, doing something that was completely against his nature, grabbing the man by the collar of his tunic and shoving him against the trunk of a tree, as the girls watched in amazement. Then Fuu and Umi piped up, equally as angry as Yukito.

"Please! Tell us how to get home!" Fuu shouted.

"Stop lying and tell us how!" Umi screamed, while Hikaru stood behind them, looking completely confused. The man was completely taken by surprise. He'd never expected the youths from another world to be so violent!

"Yukito-chan, please put him down. He's the only one who can tell us." Hikaru said, gently, putting her hands on his arms and gently pushing them down, seeing that Yukito was slowly calming down.

"Please tell us….What is the one way to go home?" Hikaru asked, as she kneeled before the man, her eyes beseeching. The man's expression changed from surprised to grim.

"You must save Cephiro." The man said, as the four teens gazed at him, in complete surprise. 

Meanwhile, far away, someone was watching the exchange between the man and four teenagers. With an eerie smile, he walked into a chamber that contained a cascading waterfall. An elfin figure, who was sitting at the edge of the pool beneath the waterfall, looked up as the dark figure approached.

"So, what did the mirror reveal, Zagato-sama?" the elf asked, as he turned his golden eyes upon his master.

"The Legendary Magic Knights have been summoned to this world." Zagato replied, with an icy smile. 

"Hmm…..I see…." One voice murmured, from behind the waterfall.

"That could be a tad problematic." Another voice said, coolly. 

"Are there four of them, as in the legend?" a boy's voice asked, from behind the waterfall.

"Will they become Magic Knights and revive the Mashin?" the first voice asked.

"This will be interesting." The boy's voice said, mischievously.

"Silence! Zagato-sama is about to speak!" the elf shouted, authoritatively. All of the other voices fell silent.

"The four summoned ones are still children. They cannot revive the Mashin." Zagato said, confidently.

"But, they are now with Madoushi Clef." Zagato said, with a tinge of annoyance in his voice.

"That annoying sorcerer?!" the boy's voice asked, in disbelief.

"Not good!" the second voice said, knowing about the mage.

"Alcione." Zagato said, turning away from the waterfall.

"Yes sir?" the first voice replied.

"You must take care of this problem." Zagato said, with a sinister smile. Behind him, the water parted to reveal a beautiful, yet scantily clad, woman.

"As you wish, sir!" Alcione replied, with almost contained joy in her voice, before teleporting herself away.

"I remember hearing a voice……at Tokyo Tower, before we were swept away." Hikaru said, thoughtfully.

"Me too!" Fuu agreed.

"I also heard it." Yukito agreed, as Umi murmured her agreement.

"Help save our world….." Fuu trailed off.

"Legendary……" Umi continued.

"Magic Knights!" Yukito and Hikaru finished. The man nodded, solemnly.

"Ever since Princess Emeraude, the pillar of Cephiro, was abducted, peace and order have disappeared from our world. Before, everyone lived happily….People, spirits, and creatures got along well. Since we lost Princess Emeraude, Cephiro has become a nightmare of war and chaos." The man murmured, not noticing when a monster appeared behind him.

"Look out!" the four teens yelped, leaping back away from the man.

"_Sundace!_ Lightning Flash!" the man shouted, blasting the monster with a bolt of lightning. 

"Wow." Hikaru muttered, in complete amazement, voicing hers and the others astonishment for them. 

"The light tore that monster apart!" Umi said, as Yukito stared at the blackened ground in complete disbelief.

"There were no such monsters in Cephiro before. We're in the Forest of Elements. I can't believe there are monsters roaming these sacred woods. It seems we must hurry." The man said, as he gazed up at the leafy canopy above him.

"When the princess disappeared, why did Cephiro fall apart?" Hikaru asked, giving Yukito a quizzical look as he looked closely at the ground where the creature had been. 

"Like I said, Princess Emeraude is the pillar of this world." The mage said, somberly.

"Pillar?" Yukito asked, entering the conversation after he'd taken a closer look at the scorched ground. The man nodded. 

"Princess Emeraude protected the peace and order in Cephiro with her prayers." The man said, as he gazed out at the ocean, his eyes getting a wistful, distant look in them.

"With her prayers?" Umi asked, looking a little surprised by that, though she had no idea why.

"In Cephiro, everything is controlled by one's will. Here, in Cephiro, belief is power." The man finished, turning and looking at them, with a look that was a mixture of hope and grief.

"Princess Emeraude brought peace and order with her belief. She protected our world from fear and strife. Until…….." the man trailed off.

"Someone abducted her?" Yukito asked.

"Who?! Who kidnapped the princess?!" Hikaru asked, sounding anxious.

"It was High Priest Zagato." The man replied, with grim certainty.

"Zagato?" Hikaru asked, as she and her new friends gathered close.

"Zagato kidnapped the princess and took her somewhere." The man said, gloomily.

"You don't know where? Even with your powers?" Yukito asked, now looking worried.

"Zagato's power is second only to that of the princess. And………." The man trailed off, his eyes looking distinctly sad and depressed.

"And what?" Hikaru pressed, trying to get more information from the sorcerer.

"Never mind." The man said, shaking himself from that train of thought and looking away.

"Then the only way to go home is……..!" Fuu started, then the man cut in.

"As I said before, in Cephiro, one's will controls all." The man said, then turned and looked at them, his eyes taking on an almost ancient look.

"The princess wished you to our world. If you can become the Magic Knights as she wished, and save Cephiro, then her wish would be fulfilled. Then you could go home." The man finished, looking older than he looked in that single moment, than he had the entire time he'd been talking to them.

"I don't believe it." Umi muttered, looking exasperated.

"It sounds like a fantasy game." Fuu added, as Yukito nodded his agreement. But Hikaru was another story.

"We can save the princess and become the Legendary Magic Knights!" Hikaru said, enthusiastically, getting sweat-drops from her companions. 

"But why us?" Fuu asked.

"Good question." Yukito murmured, thoughtfully.

"Yeah, why us? Why not someone from Cephiro?" Umi agreed, as Hikaru perked up and looked directly at the mage.

"That's right! What about the people of Cephiro?!" Hikaru asked.

"If the princess is so important, then why not have the people of this land rescue her?" Yukito asked, bringing his concerns to the fore. The mage turned a downcast gaze to the ground.

"Many have tried. Sorcerers, knights, warriors, all have fought Zagato to save her…….but none have won." The mage said, somberly.

"H-he's that strong?!" Umi asked, freaking out at just the thought of going up against Zagato.

"They still fight now, even though the people of Cephiro cannot win." The mage said, grimly.

"Why not?" Hikaru asked, turning to look and seeing that the mage had taken a seat on a tree stump. 

"What is wrong with them?" Yukito asked, as he and Hikaru took a seat across from the mage.

"Nothing is 'wrong' with them, but the Legendary Magic Knights must come from another world. To become a Legendary Magic Knight, one must revive the Mashin. But first, you need armor." The mage said, as he grasped the hem of Hikaru's skirt and looked closely at it. Yukito tackled him.

"Try that again and I will break your arms!" Yukito shouted, furiously.

"Yeah! What were you thinking, you pervert?!" Umi screeched, while Hikaru looked cluelessly on. 

"I'm not a pervert!" the mage retaliated, as he pushed the infuriated young man off of him. Then, with a desperate move, the mage waved his staff and a brilliant flash emanated from it, surrounding the three girls and one guy. When the light had died down, the four teens stood together, each of them wearing armor.

"Yeah!" Hikaru shouted, gleefully.

"What's this?" Umi asked, looking confused.

"What just happened?" Yukito asked, as he looked himself over.

"We really are in a fantasy game!" Fuu stated, looking at the new garments that were now placed over her normal clothes. 

"Do you know magic?" the mage asked.

"Of course we don't! If we did, we'd just zap ourselves back home!" Umi said, angrily.

"Not even one spell?!" the mage asked, with exasperation now coming onto his features. The four teens shook their heads.

"Oh well. Then I'll have to give you each a specialty." The mage said, as he raised his staff over his head.

"_Accept!_ Magic Gift!" the mage shouted, his voice echoing with power. This time, magical elements surrounded the four would-be Magic Knights. Hikaru was surrounded by fire, Umi by water, and Fuu by wind. Yukito, on the other hand, found himself bathed in the softest of moonlight and could feel it's warmth sink into him. 

"Each kind chose you…….." the mage muttered, in complete amazement. 

"Kind?" Yukito asked, as he and the other three would-be Knights looked at the mage.

"Magic chooses its owner. In Cephiro, magic is mainly used by the heart. Depending on the user's will, magic can be strong or weak. The four of you were just chosen by four kinds of magic. That light……..Indeed, you four can become the Magic Knights…" the mage said, just as Umi started off on an ego trip. Yukito chuckled when the mage whacked her on the head with his staff when she said something nonsensical. This started off yet another argument between the two.

"I think those two have a future together." Yukito whispered, into Fuu and Hikaru's ears.

"Yes, I agree! Look at how well they get along!" Fuu whispered back, as Hikaru giggled and looked over at the arguing couple. Then Fuu straightened up and looked at the mage.

"Would you teach us how to use it, then? You were kind enough to give it to us, we should use it properly. Just like with medicine, you must read the instructions before use." Fuu said, trying to ease the situation with wise words, while Umi muttered something about magic not being the same as aspirin. Then the mage turned to all of them, his expression curious.

"What's your name?" he asked, to Hikaru first.

"I'm Hikaru." Hikaru replied.

"Hee……ka…….roo?" the mage asked, sounding the name out because it was so foreign to him.

"That's right, Hikaru!" Hikaru encouraged. The mage smiled a small smile.

"Okay, Hikaru……." The mage said, before being rudely interrupted by Umi and Fuu.

"Hey you! I'm Umi!" Umi shouted.

"And my name's Fuu!" Fuu added, while Yukito stood quietly by, his smile not fading as the mage looked over at him.

"What's your name, young man?" the mage asked.

"My name is Yukito." Yukito replied, already having forgiven the mage for what he'd done earlier. The mage turned a peevish glance onto Umi and Fuu, then turned his attention back to Hikaru. With an authoritative move, the mage pointed two fingers at Hikaru's forehead, his expression serious. Hikaru then closed her eyes, somehow knowing that something serious was going on.

"Can you feel it inside? You have powers……….different than before………" the mage said, gently, yet firmly.

"I feel it…….something warm deep within me……..I can almost express it in words……" Hikaru murmured, her voice so soft that the group had to strain their ears in order to hear her.

"That's your magic." The mage said, then turned and looked as birds filled the air, their voices shrill with fear. Then one landed on the mage's shoulder and squeaked in his ear, frantically.

"What?! One of Zagato's disciples?!" the mage yelped, his eyes taking on an almost panicked look.

"Zagato?!" the four would-be Magic Knights yelped, their faces taking on the same expressions as the mage's. 

"That's the guy who kidnapped Princess Emeraude!!" Umi yelped, as the screaming of the birds continued.

"That means he's the villain!" Fuu said, still thinking that she was in a fantasy game.

"Hurry up and teach me magic, too!" Umi shouted, before lightning tore across the sky and thunder drowned out the panicked cries of the birds.

"It's too late!" the mage shouted, as the wind picked up, whipping his robes around him.

"What?!" Umi and Fuu cried, while Yukito and Hikaru both looked defiantly up at the sky. With desperation in his eyes, the mage then used his staff to replace the flying fish with something faster.

"_Cleft!_ Pet Summon!" the mage shouted, as a griffin emerged from the staff. Yukito, Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu all stared in astonishment at the new creature.

"Hurry and climb on!" the mage shouted, motioning to the griffin with his staff.

"But what about you?!" Hikaru asked, as she was helped aboard by Yukito and Umi.

"I'll stay here." The mage said, bravely.

"No way!" Hikaru shouted, as the griffin started to take off.

"I'm fine, go on!" the mage replied, as the wind kicked up by the griffin's wings blew his robes back.

"Tell us your name!" Hikaru shouted, suddenly. The mage looked confused, then cursed himself for not having told them earlier.

"It's Clef! Madoushi Clef! I've vowed to guide you, protect you, and help you become the Magic Knights. I promised the princess!" the mage shouted, as his lavender hair was blown back, revealing his dark blue eyes. 

"Clef! I'll stay with you and help you fight!" Hikaru said, as she tried to get down, but was prevented from doing so by Umi and Yukito. 

"Don't worry! You must go!" Clef shouted, almost feeling sorrow well up in his heart at seeing them go.

"Clef!!" Hikaru shouted, with despair in her voice. Clef smiled at her, reassuringly. 

"Go west! In the Forest of Silence, Presea's waiting. You'll find weapons, and Mokona!" Clef shouted, before the four would-be Magic Knights were out of earshot. 

"Clef!!" Hikaru shouted, one last time, before the griffin flew too high for them to see him. Clef turned when he heard hoofbeats and knew that a former student had arrived.

"It's been a while, Madoushi Clef." A woman's voice purred, as Clef glared at the owner of the voice.

"After all that I taught you…..How shameful to see you working for Zagato. Alcione." Clef said, his voice angry.

"And I thank you, Madoushi. For teaching me such powerful magic. Like this one……" Alcione said, lifting her staff into the air over her head.

"_Allayah!_ Ice Attack!" Alcione screamed, sending thousands of ice shards flying at her former teacher. Clef barely had enough time to use his own magic against her.

"_Cresta!_ Shield!" Clef shouted, but not before a good-sized shard of ice passed through his left shoulder, forcing him to his knees. 

"Indeed, as I would expect from my teacher, the Supreme Sorcerer of Cephiro…" Alcione said, with contempt in her voice, smiling when she saw blood flowing freely from Clef's shoulder.

"I taught you magic so you could protect Princess Emeraude;……………not so you could threaten peace here in Cephiro." Clef gasped, as he stubbornly stood back up. Alcione laughed at him, her eyes as cold as the ice she'd just thrown.

"As strict as always! But enough of this chitchat, Madoushi Clef. Move out of my way! If you don't…….." Alcione threatened, leaving her last words hanging in the air.

"If I don't…..?" Clef asked, obstinately.

"_Cleft!_ Pet Summon!" Alcione shouted, summoning a hideous two-headed beast and putting it in front of her while she took off.

"Madoushi, I cannot win fighting against you one-on-one. My mission is the disposal of the fledgling Magic Knights." Alcione said, with a vindictive sneer, as the beast snapped at her former teacher.

"Have fun with this two-headed cutie……..in the meantime it's time to wipe out those four children." Alcione said, as she flew away from the scene.

"Wait! Alcione!" Clef shouted, then got back on the defensive when the beast swiped at him with a huge clawed paw.

"See you later, Madoushi Clef!" Alcione shouted, over her shoulder as she rode off. Clenching his teeth, Clef bit back curses as he fought with the monster that had been unleashed by his former pupil. Then his thoughts drifted to the three girls and their male companion.

"_Magic Knights, summoned from another world_…………_if you should fall to Alcione, then you cannot revive the Mashin and become the Magic Knights_………._for your enemy is far stronger than Alcione. Children of another world, you must overcome many tribulations and save Cephiro!_" Clef thought, as he fought desperately. The beast was quick, but not all that bright. With a backflip that sent pain slicing through his wounded shoulder, Clef got behind the creature and used the same spell he'd used for the previous monster.

"_Sundace!_ Lightning Flash!" Clef shouted, as, once again, lightning disintegrated the monster. Little did he expect what would happen next. The moment the lightning hit the monster, the monster itself exploded, and the force of the blast threw Clef from the cliff. 

"_Magic Knights_…….._survive_…………." Clef thought, before lapsing into unconsciousness.

"Clef." Hikaru murmured, looking worried and sad. Yukito gently ruffled her hair as he sat down between her and Umi.

"Don't worry. I am sure he can take care of himself." Yukito said, but even his eyes had a hint of worry in them. 

"Yeah! You saw how powerful he was! He'll beat them in no time!" Umi said, with confidence in her voice. The confidence was abruptly cut off when an explosion was seen and heard behind them.

"That light!" Hikaru shouted, as they all turned around and stared in horror at what was going on behind them. Then another sound came to their ears; the sound of hooves. 

"What's that sound?" Fuu asked.

"Sounds like a horse, coming this way. But we're in the air, how could a horse be coming this way?" Yukito asked, then spotted something coming towards them.

"Then, I wonder who that is?" Fuu asked, as she pointed out what Yukito had seen. As the rider approached, it was evident that it was not Clef, but a woman astride a flame-maned unicorn.

"B-by any chance is that…..?!" Umi asked, trailing off as the woman's intentions became clear.

"Get down and hang on!" Yukito shouted, as the woman got close enough to attack.

"_Arile!_ Ice Spear!" the woman shouted, sending huge chunks of ice flying at them. With a loud squawk, the griffin swerved to avoid the ice, nearly losing its riders in the process.

"Looks like she's not on our side." Fuu said, as the woman came in for another strike.

"What about Clef? Does this mean he's lost?!" Umi asked, prepared to duck again when the woman attacked again. 

"Let's go back and find him!" Hikaru shouted, as Yukito dodged a piece of ice that the woman had thrown at him. 

"Wait a minute!" Umi shouted, then ducked as the woman threw some more ice at them. 

"If we go back, we might be able to help him! I can't stand to just let him die!! Let's go back!" Hikaru shouted, desperately.

"We must not go back." Fuu said, gently.

"Fuu-san's right, Hikaru-san. Madoushi Clef had said so himself. He wants us to save Cephiro." Yukito said, agreeing with Fuu, albeit reluctantly. 

"The Madoushi put us on this huge bird so we could continue with our quest to save Cephiro, not to stay with him. So, if you care about him at all, we must not go back." Fuu said, grimly, as the sad look returned to Hikaru's features.

"Whether we go back or not, first we have to stop that crazy witch." Umi said, giving Hikaru an encouraging smile. 

From far away, Alcione watched the four teens scrambling to avoid getting hit with her attacks. 

"They really are children. It's sad, but they must die, for Zagato-sama's sake." Alcione said, to herself, smiling at the thought of destroying the Magic Knights for her beloved master.

"She's too close! We can't escape!" Fuu shouted, as Yukito tried throwing used ice shards back at the woman, only to duck and have them propelled back at him again.

"How are we supposed to fight without weapons or anything?! Ooooohhh! I'm gonna get that mage when I next see him!" Umi said, furiously, then turned to Hikaru, who still looked worried.

"Such a pesky mage couldn't lose that easily! I'm sure he's still alive!" Umi said, reassuringly. Hikaru's features immediately brightened.

"Yeah, I'm sure of it!" Hikaru said, as Yukito and Fuu both breathed a sigh of relief. Hikaru was back to being her bouncy self again. Before the griffin could get any farther, it was stopped by the rider maneuvering her unicorn to block their path.

"Hello there, little Magic Knights." Alcione purred. Hikaru glared balefully at her, and Yukito did the same.

"And…….Goodbye!" Alcione said, charging her weapon for a blast.

"Hold on! Are we finished?!" Umi yelped.

"In a normal fantasy game, you don't meet such a strong opponent at the first stage……only after a few levels!" Fuu commented.

"This is real, Fuu-san! And this woman is trying to get points for herself!" Yukito shouted, looking up when Hikaru stood up.

"Hikaru, get down!" Umi shouted, frantically.

"Frankly, whether one is sitting or standing does not affect the danger level." Fuu stated, matter-of-factly.

"Shut up!" Umi screeched, showing that her nerves were at the breaking point. With deadly grace, Hikaru pointed at the woman, as though about to scold her.

"What are you up to, sweetie?" Alcione asked, with false gentleness. It was then that Hikaru surprised them all.

"Flame Arrow!!!" Hikaru shouted, her voice echoing with power. With a roar, an arrow made of fire soared in the direction of the unsuspecting Alcione, forcing her to retreat and incinerating her steed immediately. Then, as suddenly as Hikaru's strength had been there, it was gone, and she toppled over, landing neatly in Yukito's arms.

"Incredible! Amazing!" Umi gushed, as Hikaru came to her senses a little bit.

"That's the magic Madoushi Clef taught her!" Fuu said, as Yukito took off his school jacket and draped it around Hikaru's shoulders. 

"So, what do we do next?" Umi asked, sobering a little while Hikaru recovered.

"I believe Clef-san told us to go west." Fuu said, as she looked around, trying to establish where west was.

"That's right! He'd said that we'll meet Presea in the Forest of Silence." Umi added.

"He'd also said something about weapons." Yukito said, shading his eyes as the sun peeked through some clouds.

"Maybe someone will lend us some weapons there." Fuu suggested.

"That would help." Umi said, giving Yukito and unreadable look as he stretched out in a comfortable position and proceeded to take a nap. 

"Yukito! Honestly! Sleeping at a time like this?!" Umi scolded. Yukito looked up at her.

"We'll need all the rest we can get. This quest is guaranteed to keep us on our toes." Yukito said, as Fuu nodded quietly in agreement.

"Are you okay, Hikaru-san?" Fuu asked, getting a somewhat groggy nod from Hikaru for a response.

"Best to let her rest, especially, since it seems that using her magic took a lot out of her." Yukito said, as he settled onto his back and drifted off to sleep. 

"Do you think this creature knows where it is going?" Fuu asked, as she watched Hikaru snuggle up against Yukito and go to sleep.

"Well, it would only make sense if it did. I mean, why else would Clef send us off on this thing, other than the fact that it is faster than the fish?" Umi said, as she watched the two exhausted Magic Knights sleep. The flight was relatively quiet until a few hours later, when Hikaru awoke, to find herself with her head on Yukito's chest. At first she blushed, the she smiled. He looked so peaceful while he was asleep.

"_He's sorta cute, too._" Hikaru thought, as she gazed at his face. She then looked and saw that her friends, Umi and Fuu, were asleep as well. With a contented sigh, Hikaru got up and looked around. She felt completely refreshed.

"Have a good nap, Hikaru-san?" Yukito asked, as he sat up and rubbed his eyes, reminding Hikaru of a small child who had just woken up. 

"Hai. Thank you for letting me sleep. How long have we been flying?" Hikaru asked, as she handed Yukito's jacket back to him, getting a smile out of him.

"I'd say about four hours, at the most. We're still not where we need to be, but we're getting closer." Yukito said, as the griffin let out a chirp and turned its head to look at them. 

"Hello! Thank you for getting us this far!" Hikaru said, as she gently patted the griffin's huge beak. The griffin purred in pleasure.

"Can you understand what he's saying, Hikaru-san?" Yukito asked, as he patted the beak as well, laughing when the griffin purred appreciatively, enjoying the attention it was getting. 

"Yeah! He's just like Hikari, only bigger!" Hikaru said, happily.

"Hikari?" Yukito asked, confused.

"Hikari's my pet dog! We grew up together…..he's the best dog." Hikaru said, suddenly looking sad again. She jumped when a hand touched her shoulder, and she turned around to find Umi and Fuu smiling at her.

"Hey, when we get back, introduce me to your dog!" Umi said, with a smile.

" I want to meet you dog, too!" Fuu said, cheerfully.

"Don't forget about me!" Yukito said, getting a laugh from the girls and laughing at himself for his statement.

"Okay!" Hikaru agreed, happily. Yukito smiled, happy to know that Hikaru was going to be all right.

Meanwhile, Princess Emeraude languished in her watery prison, her heart wrenching sobs reaching no one. Well, almost no one.

"Please, save Cephiro…….before it's too late…." Emeraude sobbed then sat up when a voice came to her ears.

"So, you used the last of your powers to summon the Magic Knights." A male voice said, almost taunting in it's use.

"Zagato….!" Emeraude gasped, as the spectral image of the High Priest appeared before her.

"Stop your futile attempts, Princess Emeraude. The Legendary Magic Knights will not revive the Mashin." Zagato said, confidently.

"Why? Zagato, why are you acting like this? Don't you care what happens to Cephiro?" Emeraude asked, mournfully. Zagato only smiled a chilling smile, before vanishing from the princess' sight.

After almost a day, the Magic Knights finally spotted their destination.

"A forest!" Hikaru shouted, pointing the landmark out for them, excitedly. 

"Finally." Yukito said, almost sounding glad that the flight was coming to an end. With ease, the griffin landed in a clearing and allowed its riders to jump off. 

"Thank you." Hikaru said, before turning and walking away from it.

"Hey! Minna! Look at that!" Umi shouted, pointing out a small house just adjacent to the clearing they were standing in. 

"Wait here!" Hikaru called out, to the griffin, before going into the next clearing with her friends.

"Excuse us!" Hikaru called, as they approached the door of the dwelling.

"Anyone home?" Fuu said, as she cupped her hands to her face in an attempt to make her voice louder.

"Maybe no one's home." Umi suggested.

"Then that would make this trip a wasted one." Yukito said, in exasperation, as Hikaru tried the doorknob………… and found the door to be unlocked!

"The door's unlocked." Fuu stated, as she stuck her head in and looked around. 

"Rather careless, wouldn't you say?" Yukito asked, getting an agreement from the girls.

"Well, why just stand here? Let's go in!" Umi said, looking a little bit frustrated by the whole situation.

"We shouldn't!" Fuu said, disagreeing with Umi for the first time.

"Look, this crazy world's different than earth. We're supposed to be adventurous!" Umi said, as a look of apprehension crossed Yukito's face.

"Well, I guess so…….." Fuu trailed off, as she, Umi and Hikaru darted inside.

"Wait!" Yukito shouted, moving quickly to keep from being left behind. As they searched the house, they became aware of some sounds coming from a well-lit room at the end of a hallway.

"Someone's in there!" Umi said, as she and her compatriots peeked inside, then hesitantly entered. It was a huge library!

"Wow! Look at all the books!" Yukito murmured, as he gazed about the room, in awe. Then they spotted a chair with its back turned to them. There were papers and books flying everywhere.

"Excuse us, are you Presea? Madoushi Clef told us to come here……" Hikaru began, before the chair whirled around to reveal………a rabbit-like creature!

"What the……….?!" Yukito yelped, completely surprised by the appearance of the creature. 

"P-Presea?!" Hikaru stuttered, shocked. Before anything more could be said, a cage fell from overhead, trapping all four of the hapless teens inside. 

"This just hasn't been our day…….." Yukito muttered, putting his head to the bars, while the girls ran around in panicked circles near him. Then laughter erupted from the hall, startling all of the captives.

"I've got you now, Mokona! So it IS you who keeps messing up my study! Now I've got proof!" a tall, blond woman crowed, as she entered the room, laughing maniacally. Yukito exchanged a glance with Umi, Fuu and Hikaru, then looked at the woman. 

"So, how should I punish you? Should I pull your ears until they stretch out?! Or should I hang you upside down from the porch?" the woman continued, enjoying the thoughts of torture, at least until the creature in the chair started making a mess again.

"M-Mokona?!" the woman yelped, when she saw that Mokona was out of the cage. Then she whirled around and saw the three girls and single boy standing there, looking downright dejected. 

"Are you the ones who keep messing up my study?" the woman asked. 

"No ma'am." Yukito said, politely, preventing Umi from going off by clamping a hand over her mouth.

"So why did you end up in the cage?" the woman asked, crossing her arms. 

"We came into the room and it suddenly fell on us." Hikaru replied, honestly. 

"That's what the cage is for. To trap whoever messes up my study!" the woman said, matter-of-factly. Yukito rolled his eyes; here it comes.

"So it WAS you! You were messing up my study!" the woman shouted, pointing her finger at them.

"IT'S NOT US!" Umi replied, in kind, as Fuu tried to hold her in check.

"We could not be the ones who keep messing up your study. After all, we just arrived in Cephiro. And besides, that animal is going nuts playing over there." Fuu said, as she pointed out the happily cooing Mokona and the fact that it was throwing papers again.

"MOKONA!!" the woman shouted, furiously, surprising the creature, so that its ears stood straight up. Yukito chuckled and shook his head. It reminded him of his best friend's little sister back on earth.

"What're you laughing at?!" the woman asked, perturbed by that. Yukito looked calmly at her.

"It just reminds me of someone back home, that's all, ma'am." Yukito replied, with a smile. 

"Hmph. You may be polite, but that doesn't help you any! Even if you didn't mess up my study, you're still intruders!" the woman said, obstinately. 

"Us?!" Hikaru asked, looking horrified. 

"So, how should I punish you?" the woman asked, then started going into her torture tirade again.

"Wait! We are….!" Umi shouted, practically beside herself in rage. As the woman continued on with her tirade, Hikaru took notice of the creature called 'Mokona'. 

"Hello, Mokona! You're a cutie! My name is Hikaru!" Hikaru said, introducing herself to the carefree creature. Yukito leaned against the cage; what had started off being a field trip had turned into a nightmare!

"This is indeed a problem. But it's true, we did barge into her house……maybe we deserve to be punished." Fuu said, getting an immediate response from Umi.

"We didn't barge in! The door wasn't even locked! It's her fault! She could have been robbed!" Umi screamed, not noticing when Yukito stuck his fingers in his ears, prepared for even louder screaming. That got the woman's attention.

"What did you just say?!" the woman asked, whirling around to face them.

"You could have been robbed……?" Umi asked.

"No! Before that!" the woman said, anxiously.

"The front door was unlocked! We shouldn't have gone in but we called and no one answered!" Umi shouted.

"Now we're getting somewhere." Yukito muttered, unnoticed by the others.

"My lock was specially designed by Madoushi Clef. No one in Cephiro can open that door without this key." The woman said, as she showed them a key that was covered in runes. 

"Sounds almost like something I saw on TV once." Yukito remarked, as he looked over the girls' shoulders and looked at the key. Ignoring the comment the woman looked in at them, very much calmed down.

"Are you four the ones summoned by Princess Emeraude, the Legendary Magic Knights?!" the woman asked.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you!" Umi screeched, furiously.

"So it's really beginning…….the Legendary Battle……" the woman murmured, as she pulled on a lever and raised the cage. Before they knew it, the Magic Knights were free!

"Welcome, Legendary Magic Knights! I am Presea, Chief Artisan of Cephiro." the woman said, with a smile. The four Magic Knights stared in astonishment at the woman, who until that moment had been a stranger. With a gleeful bounce, Mokona hopped right into Hikaru's arms.

"Judging from the smile on Mokona's face, there's no mistake." Presea said, confusing Hikaru.

"About what?" Hikaru asked. 

"Madoushi Clef had contacted me and told me that if the Legendary Magic Knights come by, to provide them with weapons." Presea said, then noticed the worried look Hikaru gave her friends.

"Presea-san, if I may, how long ago was it that you'd heard from Madoushi Clef? We need to know." Yukito said, boldly. Presea looked away from them with sadness in her eyes.

"It's been almost a whole two days now. I haven't heard from him in a while. I'm sorry." Presea said, when she saw the sorrowful look on Hikaru's face. With a sigh, Hikaru forced her worry for Clef to the back of her mind and looked back at Presea.

"Do you have some weapons we can use?" Hikaru asked, trying her best to not think about Clef.

"But of course. I am, after all, an Artisan. My job is to make weapons and armor." Presea replied, with a cheery smile.

"You can make weapons?!" Umi asked, in disbelief.

"You must be very good at what you do, Presea-san." Yukito complimented, as he motioned to a sword that was on display on the wall.

"Why, thank you. You are very polite." Presea said, pleased with Yukito's manners. 

"Wow! This world has everything; beasts, sorcerers…..and even a weapons maker!" Umi said, not believing what she was hearing. 

"And she's so nice too!" Fuu commented, then added, "In typical fantasy games, you have to buy weapons with earned money. We are so lucky that here they're free!" 

"Who said free?!" Presea asked, looking completely confused.

"You're charging us?!" Umi yelped, getting a cringe from Yukito, since she'd just about yelled in his ear. 

"There's no such thing as a free lunch." Fuu muttered, looking a bit miffed with herself. As they were talking about that, Hikaru was searching her pockets for anything she could use for payment. She looked as though she could cry; all she found was a piece of candy! With tears in her eyes, she held the candy out to Presea, trying to keep from crying while she did so.

"I left my wallet in my backpack…….I don't have any money on me…..only this candy…." Hikaru said, sniffling as she stood there, ready to be turned away and refused for a weapon. Presea was stunned, this girl was willing enough to give everything she had for a weapon!

"I don't need money." Presea said, gently.

"But you said it's not free." Hikaru said, getting the attention of the others in the group. Presea smiled.

"Follow me." Presea said, motioning for them to follow her down the hallway. As the girls walked after Presea, whispering about how they might have to pay the debt a new weapon would cause, Yukito found himself thinking about the explosion they had all seen from the back of the griffin after they had left Clef. 

"_How could anyone have survived that?! If what Presea said is true, then our friend, Madoushi Clef, could very well be gone. Poor Hikaru-san, she's going to be heartbroken._" Yukito thought, as he quickened his pace to catch up with the females. They came, at length, to a normal looking door at the other end of the hallway. With a deft move, Presea unlocked the door and opened it, revealing an amazing sight to the four teens.

"Wow!!!" Hikaru said, in astonishment as she stared at the room's interior.

"Wow, is right! Look!" Yukito said, as he also gazed into the room with wonder filled eyes. Weapons of all kinds lined the walls; swords, spears, bows and arrows, even boomerangs!

"You made all of these?!" Hikaru asked.

"That's right." Presea replied, with pride in her voice.

"Now, choose a weapon." Presea the said, getting yet another outburst from Umi.

"I thought you'd said that these weren't free!" Umi shouted, her voice reverberating strangely inside of the armory. 

"We don't have any money from Cephiro…….." Fuu said.

"I told you, I don't need money!" Presea said, with a laugh.

"Then what do you mean?" Yukito asked, as he looked all around him.

"Choose your favorite weapon from here. But I am only lending these to you. They are not yours." Presea stated, matter-of-factly.

"They're not ours?" Umi asked, calmly this time.

"The weapons I create are not just for just anyone. Each and every weapon is made just for one person, and only for that specific person." Presea said, as she watched the Magic Knights with interest in her eyes. 

"So these weapons….." Hikaru trailed off.

"Yup, they're not yours. I'm going to make you special weapons. Just for you!" Presea said, with a smile.

"Just for us………." Hikaru whispered, as a slight breeze stirred the air, ruffling their hair as they stood there, pondering the words Presea had just spoken.

"So, take a look around here and choose one weapon you like." Presea said, as she casually leaned on a cannon.

"But you'd just said that these aren't ours……" Umi said, still not quite getting it.

"I know. But it would be suicide to leave this Forest of Silence without any weapons." Presea said, coolly.

"So what's next?" Hikaru asked, as the other three Knights looked around for a weapon that would suit them.

"I told you! I'm going to make you weapons that only you can use. In order for you to become the true Magic Knights of the Legendary Battle, I'm going to make the best weapons ever!" Presea announced.

"Arigato." Yukito said, with a smile, his brown eyes sparkling in the sunlight.

"_The boy is rather cute, when he smiles, but I can already imagine how protective he is of the girls!_" Presea thought, as she watched the four look around.

"So, now you can go and get me the materials!" Presea announced, getting face-faults from everyone in the room.

"M-materials?!" Umi stuttered, dropping the sword she was looking at and wincing when it hit the floor with a loud 'clang'. Presea nodded.

"It's a rule here in Cephiro. When warriors and knights request a new weapon from an Artisan, they must bring their own materials." Presea stated, enjoying the looks of exasperation she got from the four Magic Knights.

"So that's……………." Fuu started to say, before a loud roar emanated from outside.

"What was that?!" Umi asked, as they all stood still and listened.

"Sounds like a monster has gotten in! Hurry! Choose a weapon!" Presea shouted, as she closed the door and grabbed a sword from the wall. For a few panicked moments, the four teens scrambled around in search of a weapon, then Yukito came up with an idea.

"Hikaru-san, Umi-san, Fuu-san, pick weapons that you know you can use accurately! If you do that, we'll have a better chance of winning!" Yukito shouted, as he grabbed a broadsword and held it at ready. The three girls stood and stared at their male companion for a moment then turned to one another.

"What have we got to lose? Let's try it!" Umi shouted, as she grabbed a slender fencing sword and stood beside Yukito. Hikaru then took another broadsword from the wall and Fuu grabbed a bow and quiver of arrows. They were all ready when the monster broke through. It was a horrendous sight; a brown monster that looked almost like it was made entirely of mud! 

"I'll distract it, you girls think of a plan that will destroy it!" Yukito shouted, as he leaped at the monster, brandishing his sword. Presea was impressed by the young man's courage and watched as he got it to chase him out of the house.

"C'mon! He can't hold it off forever!" Hikaru shouted, as she went to help Yukito. With a nod of agreement, they all followed Hikaru to where Yukito now fought. 

"Hang in there, Yukito-chan!" Hikaru shouted, as she joined him in facing the beast. 

"Hikaru! Try using your magic!" Umi shouted, as Fuu fired an arrow at the monster.

"Wait! Magic won't………..!" Presea shouted, getting cut off as the monster knocked Yukito off of his feet, sending him sprawling.

"Yukito-san!" Fuu shouted, as she rushed over to him and fired off another arrow when she got there.

"Are you okay?!" Umi asked, as she got to his side. She gasped when she saw blood trickling down his right arm.

"I think so………my arm hurts a little, though." Yukito said, with a wince, as he sat up and looked over at Hikaru. She was now yelling over to Presea and asking about a tablecloth.

"_Tablecloth?_" Yukito wondered, watching in mute astonishment as Hikaru backflipped over the monster and draped the cloth over its head. With a mighty effort, Hikaru and Presea pushed the monster into the pond, watching as it disintegrated in the water. 

"Good work, minna!" Yukito shouted, cheerfully. Hikaru smiled, then noticed the blood on his arm.

"Yukito-chan! Your arm…….!" Hikaru said, as she ran over to him and looked at his arm.

"Let's get that wound tended to before it gets infected. Come inside." Presea said, as she led the four Magic Knights back into her home. As evening shadows fell, Yukito found himself sitting at a window and gazing out at the moon. What were his grandparents doing now? How were his friends going to tell them that he'd disappeared?

"You look kinda depressed. What's the matter, kid?" Presea asked, as she sat down beside him and looked at him.

"I'm just thinking about my grandparents. They must be worried sick about me." Yukito said, smiling sadly as he thought about them.

"It must be hard getting taken from your own world and thrown into one that you don't understand. But those three girls seem to help keep your mind off of your troubles, ne?" Presea asked. Yukito nodded.

"They almost remind me of sisters, in the way they bicker and talk to one another. We've barely known one another for a day and already I believe I would give my life to protect them from harm. We all got into this together and I am determined that we see it through together. I will get them home, some way or another." Yukito said, honestly.

"I see. You're like an elder brother to them, protecting his sisters from harm. You're a good kid and I believe you'll make an even better Magic Knight. Now, come on, you need to get some sleep before you leave tomorrow. I still need to tell you what kind of ore you need for your weapons." Presea said, as she led Yukito away from the window.

"You're right, Presea-san. Thank you for you hospitality." Yukito said, politely. 

"No problem, kid." Presea replied, as she saw the youth to his room and bid him goodnight. 

The next morning, the four Magic Knights stood outside of Presea's home as Presea prepared to see them off.

"Now, you must follow Mokona to the Legendary Spring of Eterna. Once you get there, you will find the ore you will need for your weapons." Presea said, as Mokona bounced up to Hikaru and hopped into her arms.

"Presea, what is the ore called, anyway?" Umi asked, out of curiosity.

"The mineral you need is called Escudo. It is the strongest ore in all of Cephiro, and the only ore that is used when making weapons for the Legendary Magic Knights." Presea replied, as she looked down the path that led into the Forest of Silence.

"Remember, magic does not work in the Forest of Silence and be sure to follow Mokona. Mokona will guide you." Presea said, watching as Yukito glanced at his companions, his eyes taking on a protective look.

"But what about Yukito-san's arm? Is it well enough for such a journey?" Fuu asked, as she touched Yukito's arm.

"The salve I put on it last night will help with the pain, but the bandages will need to be changed before bedtime tonight. Mokona has what you will need for that and more. I wish you all good luck." Presea said, then added, "If you will, please tell me your names!" 

"I'm Hikaru!" Hikaru chirped, happily.

"I'm Umi." Umi said, flipping a strand of her blue hair back away from her shoulder.

"My name is Fuu." Fuu said, with a smile.

"And I am Yukito." Yukito said, finally.

"Hee-ka-roo, Oo-me, Foo, and You-key-toe? Bizarre names……." Presea said, befuddled by the names of the four teens.

"That's similar to what Clef had said about Hikaru-san's name." Yukito said, with a grin in Hikaru's direction. 

"Safely bring back the Escudo and I promise I will make you the ultimate weapons." Presea said, then added, "And I will tell you if I liked this thing!" Presea said, pointing at the candy Hikaru had given her sometime the day before. 

"Okay!" Hikaru said, enthusiastically.

"And Mokona, take good care of them." Presea said, to the white creature in Hikaru's arms. Presea smiled as she watched the four start on down the trail.

"See ya later, Presea!" Hikaru called, turning and waving before heading on.

"We'll do our best!" Umi added, albeit halfheartedly. 

"I hope we'll live to see you again." Fuu said, with a worried look.

"Hey, don't jinx us, Fuu-san." Yukito teased, as he jogged after them. Before they disappeared into the forest, Presea looked up at the sky with a somber look.

"_May Princess Emeraude bless them!_" Presea thought, as a few dark clouds gathered in the horizon. As they walked farther away from Presea's house, Hikaru knew, deep down in her heart, that things were going to be all right.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two: Ferio, the Forest, and the Fountain

The Forest of Silence was just as its name implied; silent. They had been walking for almost an hour, heading farther away from their point of origin.

"It's so quiet. I wonder if what Presea had said last night was true?" Fuu said, as she walked carefully through the undergrowth.

"Dangerous places usually only look peaceful and quiet at first, but they reveal their true faces later on." Yukito said, knowing that danger could turn up at any moment. 

"Wow, you sure know a lot. Does that come from being a few grades above us?" Umi asked, getting a blush from Yukito in the process. 

"Umi-chan! Stop embarrassing him! He won't be able to fight if he's embarrassed!" Hikaru said, getting laughter from her companions. The laughter was short lived when a monster rose from the undergrowth……….right next to Hikaru.

"Hikaru! Move it!" Yukito shouted, whipping his sword out of his glove gem and attacking the hideous beast. Umi, Fuu and Hikaru were quick to follow his example. With a roar, the monster opened its mouth and fired a blast of energy at them. Yukito gracefully backflipped and drove his sword into the beast's neck, while Hikaru attacked from the front. With a yell, they both slashed downwards, killing the monster with good swipes of their swords.

"You two were awesome!" Umi shouted, having gotten a little bit of the monster as well.

"Thanks. I help out wherever I can at school. Since I am not a member of any of the clubs, I help out when they need an extra man." Yukito said, his warm eyes showing that he took great strides to be helpful. As he watched the girls regroup, Yukito turned and looked at where the monster had been. It had come out of nowhere……..

"I wonder where that thing had come from? We didn't hear it coming." Yukito said, as he looked around for tracks leading up to the spot where the monster had been, but couldn't find any. 

"Yeah, that thing was huge! You'd think we would have been able to have heard it coming towards us!" Umi said, agreeing with Yukito in that. 

"Puu puu!" Mokona shouted, bouncing away from them and into another copse. 

"Here we go. Let's follow it before we get lost." Yukito said, as he started after the creature. The three girls nodded and followed Yukito. It wasn't too long before they encountered another monster. 

"Look out!" Hikaru shouted, as they all armed themselves, prepared to fight. But, before they could even move, the monster was sliced in half right before their eyes.

"What the….?!" Umi asked, before Yukito took up a defensive position in front of them.

"Who the heck are ya'll?!" a man's voice asked, from above. Four pairs of eyes looked up and saw a young man standing in a tree nearby. He was a ragtag looking fellow with scars on his face, flashing golden eyes and wild green hair. He was leaned casually against the trunk of the tree, giving them all a look that couldn't be easily read. Next to him was a sword that was almost as tall as he was.

"Another enemy?" Umi whispered.

"He looks human, but we must remember that woman on horseback that attacked us earlier." Yukito said, as he looked up at the young man. For a few tense seconds, they stared at the young man and the man stared at them. Then Mokona made the first move; it bounded over to the stranger and bounced up to where he was, landing squarely on top of his head. 

"What is this thing?!" the young man asked, looking somewhat freaked out, while Yukito chuckled at the expression that was now on his face. With resolution on her face, Hikaru allowed her sword to go back into her glove gem. Then Hikaru took a step forward, willing to make the same motion as Mokona.

"Hikaru!" Umi shouted, as anxiety flashed across Yukito's features.

"It's okay! Look at how much Mokona likes him!" Hikaru said, pointing at Mokona, who now snuggled into the young man's green hair.

"Well, I guess it's all right." Yukito said, as he also put his sword away. 

"Hey! Thanks for helping us!" Hikaru shouted.

"Who are you? What're you doin' in the Forest of Silence?" the young man asked, from his tree branch.

"My name's Hikaru! I'm from Tokyo!" Hikaru replied, cupping her hands to her mouth so he could hear her.

"Toe-key-yo? Never heard of that……Is that a foreign country?" the man asked, looking completely confused.

"We were summoned by Princess Emera……….!" Hikaru said, then was stopped by Umi clapping her hands over her mouth.

"Hikaru!" Umi whispered, releasing the shorter girl after a minute.

"Umi, why'd you do that?" Hikaru asked, confused.

"Hikaru-san, we still know nothing about this man. He could be working for Zagato." Fuu whispered.

"I'm Yukito Tsukishiro and these are my traveling companions, Houoji Fuu and Ryuuzaki Umi. You have already met Hikaru-san. Would you mind telling us what your name is?" Yukito asked, taking control of the situation and approaching the stranger.

"The name's Ferio. What're ya'll doing here, wandering around in the Forest of Silence?" the man asked.

"Just passing through. We've encountered two monsters thus far, and, from what we've heard, this forest is full of them." Yukito said, as the girls watched him speak to the mysterious Ferio. 

"Oh yeah. There's lots of monsters in this forest." Ferio replied, casually.

"Is that because of the Princess' disappearance?" Fuu asked, being careful with what she said to this fellow.

"Nah. This forest's been filled with monsters since the beginning of time. No one can figure out why, though." Ferio said, as he looked at each traveler casually.

"So, why are you here?" Umi asked.

"Me? I'm on my way to Eterna." Ferio replied, looking at Umi directly. The four Magic Knights stood frozen to the spot. Eterna?! Wasn't that their destination?!

"W-why are you going to Eterna?!" Umi stuttered, as the young man smiled at them. 

"To get the legendary mineral, Escudo, of course." Ferio replied, with a cocksure look on his face.

"What?!?" the three girls screamed, in unison.

"He's got to be kidding……." Yukito said, keeping his voice (and disbelief) at a minimum. 

"Hey, isn't that the stuff Presea told us to get to make weapons?" Umi whispered.

"Yeah." Hikaru replied, with a nod.

"Does that mean we have to beat Ferio?!" Umi asked, still whispering (surprisingly).

"No way!" Hikaru said, as Yukito's expression darkened somewhat. Silently, Fuu was thinking of a way to find out from Ferio what he really wanted. Meanwhile, Umi and Hikaru continued to worry.

"Is there enough Escudo? He won't take ours will he?" Umi said, worrying openly, now. Curious as to what the girls were discussing, Ferio came down from his tree.

"You've got some strange clothes, but I suppose it's okay, since you've got armor." Ferio said, as he approached the group. He took notice of Yukito, who was watching every move he made like a hawk. Then Fuu spoke up.

"It's Ferio, isn't it?" Fuu asked.

"Yes ma'am." Ferio replied, politely.

"And you are going to Eterna?" Fuu asked. Ferio suddenly looked uneasy.

"Yes………" Ferio replied, tensely.

"Then you know the way to Eterna?" Fuu asked, with a smile. Ferio paused; he looked really uneasy now. From behind Ferio, Yukito grinned and winked at Hikaru and Umi, reassuring them with that.

"You can't use magic here, and that includes magic compasses. Everyone knows that you've gotta go through the Forest of Silence to get to Eterna, but you have to find the way out on your own. So don't look at me for help." Ferio said, with an almost arrogant air.

"We know the way out." Fuu said, confidently.

"What?!" Ferio shouted, in disbelief. Umi and Hikaru stared at Fuu in disbelief; Yukito just stood where he was and snickered, getting a dirty look from Ferio in the process.

"You know the way out? You've got to be dreamin'!" Ferio said, trying to pull himself back together.

"What makes you think I'm asleep?" Fuu asked, getting a soft, 'Good point' from Yukito for an agreement. Ferio looked surprised.

"Do you really know the way out?" Ferio asked, having lost the arrogance he'd had just moments before.

"Yes, but if you don't believe me…….." Fuu trailed off, leaving the end of the sentence hanging in the air.

"Where is it?" Ferio asked, sounding almost desperate. Then Yukito noticed it; the young man was about his age, but had a haggard look hidden in his eyes. He looked tired and hungry, but he wasn't about to show that to the females.

"_He's lost. He's probably been here for quite some time. There can't be much to live on in this forest and monsters would come and finish you off if you were to remain in one place too long. Why not let him accompany us?_" Yukito thought, as Fuu revealed her intentions, getting some very interesting reactions from Hikaru and Umi.

"With so many monsters in this forest, it would be quite a struggle to get through it on our own. Therefore, if you escort us through the Forest of Silence, we will take you to the exit." Fuu said, casually.

"If I say no….?" Ferio asked, looking for a way out of this, even though the tired look remained hidden in his eyes.

"Then you needn't follow us. Yukito-san, Umi-san, Hikaru-san, are you ready to move on?" Fuu asked, turning away from Ferio and walking down the path. Ferio watched in stunned silence as they went, but caught the gaze of Yukito, who gave him a look of male camaraderie before going after the girls. As they moved through the forest, they could hear Ferio following them, his steps easily heard because of the dry leaves on the ground. 

"He's still following us." Umi said, after an hour.

"Then let's lose him!" Fuu said, as she and the other two girls started running. 

"Wait! Don't get too far ahead, lest you lose yourselves!" Yukito shouted, as he ran after them, trying to keep up. Eventually he stopped and stood panting beside a tree. He watched as Ferio chased after the three female Magic Knights.

"What is this?! A game of hide and seek?!?" Ferio asked, in exasperation, after a pile up on the forest floor. 

"I hope not. That hurt!" Hikaru said, rubbing a sore spot on her head as she and the others got up and started looking around. It was Umi who spotted Yukito standing next to a tree, watching the spectacle with amusement. As evening shadows fell, they became concerned with where they were going to sleep for the night.

"Puu!" Mokona shouted, as it came to a stop and emitted a light from it's forehead gem, bringing into existence an egg-shaped structure.

"Wow!" Hikaru said, as she opened the door and peeked inside. The inside was luxuriously decorated and four beds waited, each with a pair of pajamas on it.

"This is obviously only meant for ladies. I'll sleep outside, if you don't mind." Yukito said, retreating outside when he saw that the main color theme was pink, even though the bed meant for him had blue sheets and pajamas.

"Yukito-chan! It's dangerous outside!" Hikaru objected.

"If Ferio-kun can handle being outside, so can I." Yukito said, bravely. Umi was impressed. Yukito, thus far, had proven to be a gentleman. 

"At least come inside long enough to get your bandages changed." Umi said, as she gently touched his right arm. Yukito flinched. _His arm._ He'd completely forgotten about hurting it. 

"Okay." Yukito said, with resignation in his voice. Ferio could hear the four talking as they tended Yukito's wound, wincing when he heard Yukito cry out as old bandages were removed from his wound. 

"_Ouch. I'll bet that hurt. Heh, he's the only guy with them and they still need a bodyguard? These foreigners are weird!_" Ferio thought, looking up when he heard Yukito come out of the 'egg', with two sleeping bags and two pillows under his arms.

"Better to camp in comfort than not to, ne?" Yukito asked, as he tossed a pillow and sleeping bag to Ferio.

"Yeah. Thanks. I can't believe how you can stand being around those girls 24/7! Don't you feel outnumbered?" Ferio asked, jokingly.

"No, not really. It's easier than you think, especially since we all came from the same place. We all have families back home that we miss." Yukito said, as he sat against a tree, facing Ferio. Ferio's expression sobered and he nodded.

"Ya'll are lucky. I don't have anybody at all. I'm a loner; been that way since I was little." Ferio said, with a wistful look on his scarred face.

"I'll bet it gets lonely……" Yukito said, looking a little lonely, himself. 

"Puu?" Mokona said, as it hopped over to them.

"Mokona, you wouldn't happen to have some food on you, would you?" Yukito asked.

"Puu!" Mokona replied, and conjured up a neat basket of fruit.

"Thank you, Mokona." Yukito said, taking an apple for himself and tossed another to Ferio, who simply stared at him in shock.

"Why………………? How'd you know?!" Ferio asked, watching as Yukito bit into an apple, chewed, and swallowed. Yukito shrugged.

"Just sharing some loneliness." Yukito said, with a wry grin, then added, "I could tell that you've been lost in these woods since before we came here." 

Ferio stared at Yukito in amazement. He could see that Yukito was offering a gesture of friendship, but it wasn't something he was used to. 

"Yeah. I took a stupid dare to come and find the Escudo and I have been lost ever since. Pretty stupid, ne?" Ferio asked, with bitterness in his voice.

"Foolhardy, yes; stupid, not really. We're young, Ferio-kun, so we can be expected to do some crazy stuff. Looking for adventure may seem stupid to some, but not to the one who thinks he has something to prove." Yukito replied, as he watched the lights go out in the 'egg'.

"Goodnight, Yukito-chan!" Hikaru shouted, from the doorway.

"Goodnight, Hikaru-san." Yukito replied, with a smile. Ferio listened to the exchange with mixed emotions. In some ways, he was jealous of the close relationship these four had, but also hoped that he would get to know them better. The next morning, they set off again for Eterna. The walk was long and arduous, but their minds were kept busy by the constant threat of monster attacks. Finally, they stopped at a small incline and took in an unusual scene. Monsters were everywhere!

"Look at all those monsters! Mokona, do you mean to tell us that we're supposed to go through them to get to Eterna?!" Umi shouted, as the small creature smiled and nodded. Yukito and the rest sighed as Umi went on another rampage. 

"Look at that!" Hikaru said, pointing a strange, black stone that stood in the center of the ring of monsters.

"I wonder what that is?" Fuu murmured, as she gazed at it, too.

"It looks almost like the remains of a meteor, but it seems that it is the thing that is creating all of the monsters." Yukito said, looking tense and ready for a fight. 

"It looks like if we can destroy that rock, the monsters will disappear." Ferio said, contributing to the conversation for the first time that morning.

"You think so, Ferio?" Umi asked, now paying close attention to what he was saying. 

"It won't be easy, but we could give it a try. Hikaru, Umi, Yukito, you three try to distract the monsters. Fuu, you come with me." Ferio said, as he moved a little distance away and took up a position.

"Let's get down there!" Hikaru said, ready to charge into battle. Yukito nodded in agreement, understanding what Ferio had in mind. With that decided, Hikaru and Yukito charged into battle, with Umi complaining all the way down, behind them. 

"This feels more like a scene from Lord of the Rings!" Yukito commented, as he sliced one monster in half.

"How so?" Umi asked, as she dodged an attack and stabbed another monster.

"The conflict between the Fellowship and the Orcs." Yukito replied, gracefully turning and taking a monster out. 

"I see what you mean." Umi said, now back to back with Yukito. Meanwhile, Fuu and Ferio were waiting for a good moment when the path to the rock was clear. Ferio then saw his moment and seized it.

"Now!" Ferio shouted, running in ahead of Fuu. With the signal given, Fuu followed closely after Ferio, stopping when Ferio fell to his knees, grimacing with pain.

"Ferio!" Fuu yelped, about to come to his aid, but was stopped by him.

"Don't come any closer! It seems……….that this rock not only makes monsters……but it turns things into monsters!" Ferio shouted, as he drove his sword into the ground, trying to keep from being drawn into the rock. 

"What can I do?" Fuu asked, wanting to help, but not all too certain as to how she could help.

"Fire one of your arrows!" Ferio cried, screaming as his legs started turning into stone. 

"I can't! That rock has got to be at least twenty yards away! The arrow would never make it!" Fuu said, her eyes widening as the distance between Ferio and the rock closed.

"In Cephiro………the power of one's will is the greatest of all! If you will it to be so the arrow will hit it and the rock will break!" Ferio screamed, as more of his body turned to stone. 

"But I……………" Fuu trailed off.

"You've got to believe in yourself!!!!!" Ferio shouted. With a nod, Fuu strung an arrow and drew it back.

"_If I believe!_" Fuu thought, as she pulled the arrow back and released it. To her astonishment, it made it; hitting the rock and sinking into it. Abruptly, the power pulling at Ferio's body faded away, letting him fall to the ground with a thud. At the same time, Yukito, Hikaru, and Umi were completely surrounded by monsters. Then, without warning, the monsters started changing into normal forest animals. 

"It looks like Ferio-kun was right." Yukito said, as he took a moment to catch his breath. 

"By the way, where is Ferio?" Umi asked, then noticed that Fuu was worriedly hovering over the young man's still form. 

"Ferio!" Hikaru yelped, as she, Umi and Yukito rushed over to see if he was all right. 

"What happened?" Yukito asked, as he felt for a pulse.

"He started getting drawn in towards the rock. The rock was turning him into stone! Yukito-san, is he all right?" Fuu asked, anxiously.

"I think so. He's unconscious, but alive. Probably passed out from the pain. Let's get to some shade and wait till he comes around. Then we'll continue on our way." Yukito said, satisfied with finding a strong, steady heartbeat. With some effort, they moved Ferio away from the rock and into the cool shade of the forest.

"You know, this forest seems more inviting, now that the monsters are gone." Hikaru said, as she watched a deer and a rabbit play near a forest pool. There was a nod of agreement and they all relaxed. When lunch-time rolled around, Mokona conjured up a well deserved, home cooked meal. 

"It looks delicious, Mokona!" Hikaru said, as she took a plate of food from the creature and another one appeared for Fuu.

"And it smells delicious too." Came a murmured agreement from Ferio, as he roused up.

"Gave us quite a scare, Ferio. We thought you'd decided to die on us!" Umi said, looking as relieved as she sounded. Ferio grinned.

"Nah. I'm not ready to die yet. I've still got people to annoy." Ferio said, getting a laugh from the Magic Knights. 

"Puu!" Mokona said, as it bounced over and gave Ferio a plate of food. 

"Thanks……." Ferio said, not quite sure how to react to being served by a bouncing, smiling, marshmallow. After they had eaten their fill, they continued on their journey. Finally, they reached the exit of the Forest of Silence.

"I guess this is where we'll say goodbye." Ferio said, almost sounding reluctant to leave.

"You'll be missed, Ferio-kun, but we can't force you to stay." Yukito said, as he shook Ferio's hand. 

"Thanks, Yukito." Ferio said, fully appreciating the male Magic Knight's friendship. Without a word, Ferio reached into his pocket and pulled a jeweled orb out. He then walked over to Fuu and handed it to her.

"What's this?" Fuu asked.

"It's a special wishing orb. Speak a wish into it and it will be granted. A little something to remember me by." Ferio said, before kneeling and gently kissing her hand. Then he stood and walked away. All gazes turned to Fuu, who now glowed like a red Christmas tree light. 

"What's the matter, Fuu? You're all red!" Umi teased, making Fuu blush even deeper. Yukito chuckled as Fuu tried to regain her composure, then turned his thoughts to what lay ahead of them. They still had to go to Eterna and get the Escudo.

"Minna, let's go. We still have to get the Escudo for Presea-san." Yukito said, calling for attention. 

"Right. Let's go." Hikaru said, seriously. Before they had taken about ten paces from the forest's edge, the unexpected occurred. 

"_Allayah!_ Ice Attack!" a woman's voice shouted, catching both Umi and Yukito in the thick of it. Hikaru and Fuu both watched in horror as their two comrades were struck down.

"Umi-chan! Yukito-chan!" Hikaru screamed, as she watched the two fall to the ground, blood spurting from wounds as they hit the ground. Hikaru and Fuu rushed over to them, fear and worry on their faces as they went. 

"That woman………..from before………….." Yukito moaned, as blood flowed freely down his face.

"Shh. Don't try to speak, Yukito-san, you've been badly hurt." Fuu said, gently.

"What about Umi? Is she all right?" Yukito asked.

"She's also been hurt." Fuu said, gasping when Yukito sat up, his expression angry. 

"Damn witch…………I'll get her. Stay here with Umi." Yukito said, his voice taut with emotion and pain.

"Well, you have kept me waiting, little Magic Knights from another world!" Alcione sneered, as she looked down on them from atop a pedestal of rock. Hikaru turned when she heard footsteps and gasped when she saw Yukito. Even though he was covered in blood from his wounds, his anger and desire to protect his comrades overruled any pain he felt at that moment. It was at that moment Ferio returned, having heard the screams and becoming concerned when he heard them.

"Fuu! What happened?!" Ferio asked, his golden eyes wide with disbelief. 

"That witch attacked Umi-san and Yukito-san!" Fuu replied, motioning to Alcione and then looking down at Umi, who lay unconscious and bleeding on the ground. 

"Fuu-chan! Take care of Umi-chan!" Hikaru said, as she and Yukito prepared to fight. Hikaru then turned her angry gaze to Alcione.

"How dare you hurt Umi!" Hikaru shouted, ruby eyes flashing when Alcione smiled scornfully down at her.

"So you're the one who knows magic, eh? But I'm Madoushi Clef's student and a sorceress of Princess Emeraude. You won't beat me again!" Alcione said, smiling wickedly when she saw that she'd made an impression.

"Princess Emeraude's sorceress?!" Hikaru yelped.

"Madoushi Clef's student?!" Fuu asked, in shock. 

"If that's true, then why are you fighting us?! Didn't Clef tell you?! Cephiro's in danger!" Hikaru shouted, while Yukito stood where he was, silent. His thoughts turned inward. He wanted to protect the girls, even though he didn't know any magic yet. 

"_Yukito._" A voice murmured, in his mind.

"_Madoushi Clef?_" Yukito asked, surprised that he could hear the mage in his mind.

"_Yes, Yukito. I am speaking directly to your heart._" Clef replied, his voice soft.

"_Please, help me protect the girls! They need all the help they can get!_" Yukito pleaded, desperate to aid the female Magic Knights.

"_Your desire to protect them has earned you your magic, Yukito. Can you feel it? Deep inside your heart? Can you feel the power inside of you?_" Clef asked.

"_Yes. I can feel it. It's like a fire burning deep within me. Words can't describe this feeling._" Yukito said, as warmth filled him, just like the time when Clef had given them their magical specialties.

"_That is your magic, Yukito. Now use it and protect your comrades!_" Clef said, before his voice faded away. With a gasp, Yukito came to himself just as a barrage of ice blades came his way.

"Yukito!!!" Ferio, Fuu, and Hikaru all shouted in unison. With a move that belied his injuries, Yukito leaped out of the way and faced Alcione with fury in his eyes. Then he stretched out his hands to hold an invisible bow and an arrow of pure light formed in his right hand.

"Moon Arrow!" Yukito shouted, letting the spell fly. With a scream, Alcione moved to avoid the attack, but couldn't move fast enough to avoid the energy arrow from going through her right leg. 

"Yukito-san just used his magic!" Fuu murmured, as she watched Hikaru and Yukito fight back against Alcione.

"I'll cut you to ribbons!" Alcione screamed, enraged that two Magic Knights knew magic, now.

"Like to see you try, witch!" Yukito shouted, seemingly unfazed by having just used his magic for the first time. Hikaru could see that, even though Yukito was enduring his wounds and fighting back, he was still bleeding heavily.

"_He's running on just adrenaline! The moment he stops fighting he'll_…………!" Hikaru thought, then shook that thought from her head. Yukito was strong; he would not let go of life easily.

"Yukito-chan, Fuu-chan and Umi-chan are my best friends! Together we're fighting for Cephiro!" Hikaru shouted, as power pulsated around her, in response to her anger.

"Flame Arrow!" Hikaru shouted.

"Moon Arrow!" Yukito cried, joining his attack with hers, blowing Alcione off of her pedestal.

"Shield!" Alcione screamed, trying her best to fend off the brunt of the attack, but having some of it break through, leaving bloody wounds on her face and hip.

"Her magic's stronger than before……" Alcione muttered, then glared balefully at Yukito.

"_And his has just awakened!_" Alcione thought, as Yukito sneered at her, daring her to try again with his eyes.

"Your skills have honed so quickly………..you are indeed true Magic Knights………but I won't be defeated that easily." Alcione said, as she powered up for her next attack.

"Ice Blade!!!!" Alcione screamed, sending another blast at Yukito and Hikaru. Fuu and Ferio watched tensely, as the two Magic Knights fought desperately in what was quickly becoming a losing battle; Yukito was getting weaker, while Hikaru was getting winded by having to dodge attacks.

"Ugh………." Umi moaned, as she came to.

"Umi-san! Are you all right?!" Fuu asked, as she gently levered Umi into a sitting position.

"Where's Hikaru?" Umi asked, when she didn't see the redhead.

"She and Yukito-san are fighting that crazy witch." Fuu replied, as the sounds of battle became more clear to Umi's pain-clouded brain.

"They can't fight alone!" Umi shouted, "Yukito's been hurt too!" 

"You mustn't move! Your wounds……….!" Fuu said, but she could not stop the stubborn girl from getting up.

"I have to help them!" Umi shouted, desperately.

"Puu!" Mokona said, as it looked worriedly up at Umi.

"Are you worried too, Mokona?" Umi asked, her voice softer now. 

"Puu puu!" Mokona said, nodding wholeheartedly. 

"I should have listened……back when Madoushi Clef was teaching magic. Then I would be able to help Hikaru and Yukito." Umi said, sadly. Mokona looked up at her, it's face showing worry.

"I need magic…………magic to help Hikaru and Yukito…………I need magic!" Umi said, with sadness and urgency in her voice. Then Mokona's head jewel changed color and shown on Umi's forehead.

"The jewel on Mokona's forehead………!" Fuu shouted, in amazement.

"It's changed from red to blue!" Ferio finished, as they both watched the spectacle with amazement. 

"_Umi_………….._Can you hear me?_" a voice spoke from the depths of her mind.

"_Clef_…………_?_" Umi asked, not certain whether she was imagining it or not.

"_Yes. I am using Mokona to speak directly to your heart. Can you hear me?_" Clef asked, his voice echoing slightly.

"_Yes, I can_………" Umi murmured.

"_You wish to help Yukito and Hikaru_……………_You desire magic to help them_…….." Clef said, matter-of-factly. 

"_Yes! I want magic to help them!_" Umi exclaimed, with desperation in her voice.

"_Can you feel it? The power inside you. A power different from anything you've felt before_……………_?_" Clef asked.

"_I can feel it_………_I'm warm inside_……._Words_………._I can feel words coming_……" Umi said, softly.

"_That is your magic._" Clef said, before his voice disappeared. Umi looked up just as Hikaru and Yukito were thrown to the ground by another blast. Angered by that, Umi summoned all of her remaining strength and prepared to use her magic.

"Water Dragon!" Umi shouted, sending a dragon shaped waterspout to attack Alcione. Alcione screamed as the dragon flew at her, its watery mouth open wide.

"No!!!!!!!!" Alcione screamed, before the dragon swallowed her. With a smile, Umi collapsed into Fuu, and Yukito collapsed where he was standing when the final blow had been dealt. 

"Umi-chan! Yukito-chan!" Hikaru shouted, as she ran over to Umi and watched as Ferio carefully carried Yukito back over to the group, his golden eyes filled with concern.

"Hikaru……..are you all right?" Umi asked, her voice soft.

"Yeah, because of you! You saved mine and Yukito's lives!" Hikaru said, as tears came to her eyes. 

"That's good……I have to take care of my cute little sister…..So full of energy……" Umi said, as she looked at Yukito, who was barely conscious.

"You're not hurt…….are you,……Fuu-san?" Yukito asked, his voice sounding weaker than Umi's.

"No. Umi-san's magic beat that witch, Yukito-san." Fuu replied. 

"I'm glad. I don't know what's happening to us…….but, we were called here to Cephiro together………" Umi murmured, before she and Yukito both closed their eyes and grew still.

"Umi-chan! Yukito-chan!" Hikaru screamed, afraid that they were dying. 

"Umi saved our lives…….she used her magic to save us…….Now it's my turn. A light shone from Mokona's forehead. It gave Umi her new magic. Mokona, please give me new magic. I've got to help Umi-san and Yukito-san! I need magic to help them!" Fuu said, before Mokona's jewel changed color and again a beam of light shot from its forehead.

"_Fuu_…….." Clef's voice whispered.

"_You're Clef_…………_?_" Fuu asked.

"_Yes._" Clef replied.

"_Please teach me magic_………." Fuu pleaded, her desperation in her voice. 

"_Your magic is already within you._" Clef said, gently.

"_I feel words in my heart_…………" Fuu whispered.

"_Yes, that is your magic. You've gained your magic through your compassion. Don't forget. The power of your will is everything. Belief is power in Cephiro._" Clef said, before his presence left her mind.

"Healing Wind!" Fuu shouted, summoning healing winds to come and heal her two friends. Within moments, Umi and Yukito were as whole as the day they'd left Tokyo.

"Umi-chan! Yukito-chan!" Hikaru shouted, joyfully hugging her two friends, who looked about as befuddled as they could get.

"You two had me worried, there, when you both passed out like that!" Ferio said, looking relieved that the two Magic Knights were all right. Yukito smiled, good-naturedly.

"Now we're even." Yukito said, as he again shook hands with Ferio. 

"Yeah, it looks like we are." Ferio agreed.

"Ferio-kun, is there a town nearby? I think we'll need to ask for some directions." Yukito asked, as the other three Magic Knights regrouped.

"As a matter of fact, there is. You might want to be careful around there, though. The people are a little leery of strangers." Ferio said, as he hefted his sword onto his shoulder and started walking.

"Thanks, Ferio." Hikaru said, as she waved at the swordsman.

"You're welcome. Be seein' ya!" Ferio called back, as he walked away from them.

"Let's go. We don't have any time to lose." Yukito said, getting an agreement from his female comrades. Just as Ferio had said, there was a town nearby, but when they came to it, it looked completely deserted!

"Looks almost like a ghost town." Fuu commented, starting to take a step forward but was prevented from doing so by Yukito.

"What's the matter?" Umi asked, as Yukito pointed out something that stood in the town's center. 

"What is that?" Hikaru asked, since they were too far away to get a good look. 

"Some kind of place of punishment. It's where they put the town's most recent criminals. Old towns in Europe and America had what were called pillories where they would put criminals so it would be an example to other citizens. It looks like there's someone tied to this one now." Yukito said, keeping his voice low, in case there were people around. 

"Let's go see who it is." Hikaru whispered, as they started heading towards the town center. As they got closer, they could see that there was something familiar about the man who was tied there. The man on the 'pillory' remained silent as the four teens approached the place. 

"He's been beaten! Look at his back!" Umi said, raising her voice a little in horror. 

"And he's still bleeding, by the looks of things." Fuu stated, as she crept onto the 'stage' and got a closer look. Umi, Hikaru, and Yukito jumped when they heard her gasp.

"What is it, Fuu?!" Umi asked, as she looked up at her pale-faced friend.

"It's……………It's Madoushi Clef!" Fuu said, horror showing plainly in her green eyes.

"Clef!" Umi shouted, as she and the other two Magic Knights clamored onto the stage and looked at him.

"Hikaru-san, Umi-san, get on either side and have your swords ready! When I give the signal, cut the ropes!" Yukito said, positioning himself in front of the wounded man so he could catch him when he fell.

"What can I do, Yukito-san?" Fuu asked, wanting to help.

"Keep an eye out for anything. If you should see anyone come out of those houses, give us an early enough warning so we can move quickly." Yukito said, then turned his attention back to Hikaru and Umi.

"Now!" Yukito shouted, as both girls swung their swords hard, cutting the ropes easily with the sharp blades. With little more than a sigh, Clef fell free of the bonds and into Yukito's arms. It was then that people started coming out of their homes, all of them brandishing weapons. 

"Yukito-san!" Fuu shouted, as the people started coming towards them.

"Let's get out of here!" Yukito shouted, as he hoisted Clef onto his shoulders and started running. The villagers started chasing them. Desperately, the four Magic Knights looked for a place to hide, finally finding it when they ducked into a hidden cave. 

"Whew………..now that was too close! They almost had us!" Hikaru muttered, as she wiped sweat from her brow. 

"I know. But there was something odd about them, though." Fuu murmured, as Umi started using the cave's natural spring and a strip of cloth from her school skirt to clean Clef's wounds. 

"I think we should consider settling down for the night. It's too dangerous to continue on to Eterna right now. We'll make a fresh start in the morning." Yukito said, as Mokona rejoined them.

"Mokona!" Hikaru said, happy to see the bouncing ball of fluff again. 

"Mokona-san, we need the shelter now, if you don't mind." Fuu said, polite as always, even though there was a grim task at hand. 

"Puu!" Mokona replied, as it once again conjured up the 'egg'. 

"Are you coming inside tonight, Yukito-chan?" Hikaru asked, as Yukito brought Clef in with him.

"Hai. It's too dangerous to sleep outside tonight. Clef will have to sleep in my bed, since he's been so badly hurt." Yukito said, as he went about getting the first aid kit out.

"Fuu! Your magic! Use it!" Umi said, anxiously.

"Oh, right! Healing Wind!" Fuu shouted, as green wind surrounded Clef's body, healing the deep cuts and abrasions as they went. Even though Clef didn't open his eyes, it was evident that Fuu's magic had worked; his breathing deepened and he lapsed into normal sleep. 

"I wonder how he got here. The last time we saw him, he was trying to fend off that witch." Umi murmured, as she watched Clef sleep. 

"He'll probably tell us when he wakes up. It's time to get some sleep. I'll step outside while you three get dressed." Yukito said, as he politely stepped out, respecting the girls' privacy.

"You know, Yukito is really a gentleman! He's been nothing but civil to us since the first day!" Umi said, as she changed into her nightgown. 

"I agree. It's almost like he's our elder brother, always looking after our best interests." Fuu said, as she turned the sheets down on her bed. 

"Yeah! And you guys saw the way he fought the witch, even when he was hurt!" Hikaru added.

"And the way he flipped out when Clef was looking at your skirt!" Umi said, and they all started giggling.

"Are you three decent, yet?" Yukito asked.

"Hai!" the three girls said, in unison.

"Good. I'm coming back in now." Yukito said, as he entered the 'egg', carefully closing the door behind him. 

"We'll need to get an early start tomorrow so Presea-san won't worry about us." Fuu said, as she took off her glasses and settled down.

"Hai. It'll be rough going, but we should be able to elude our pursuers in the early morning hours." Yukito said, as he settled down on the couch. Within moments, all was quiet. Restless, even though he was tired, Yukito sat up after trying to get some sleep and decided to sit up for a while. He was worried about his grandparents. He remembered all the times when he was sad and lonely, his grandmother would come in and talk to him till he fell asleep. With a sigh, he tried to remember the well loved voice and gentle eyes of his grandmother, in the hopes that it would help him sleep. As he closed his eyes, he saw his room and heard his grandmother's voice.

"_Don't worry, Grandmother, I'll come home, I promise._" Yukito thought, as sleep finally came, bringing dreams of home and the memories he had of it. Clef awoke to the sounds of breakfast being made and girls chatting amongst themselves.

"Magic Knights?" Clef murmured, as the voices became clearer.

"Good morning, Madoushi. How do you feel?" Yukito asked, from the couch.

"A little weak, but much better than before. Have you been to see Presea yet?" Clef asked, as he sat up and glanced at his surroundings.

"Yes. As a matter of fact, we were on our way to the Legendary spring of Eterna yesterday, but we saw that you were in trouble and stopped to help you." Fuu replied, calmly, as she started eating her breakfast.

"Good. And you have already learned your magic from me. It should be safe enough for you four to continue your journey to Eterna." Clef said, making a commanding gesture with his right hand and having the staff appear in it. 

"You sound like you're not going with us, Clef." Hikaru said, almost sounding disappointed. 

"You're right. I need to contact some mages that live close by that will help me conceal your presences from Zagato and his minions………..at least until you are safely away from the town." Clef said, knowing that Hikaru didn't like the thought of leaving him behind again.

"Madoushi, what happened between the time we last saw you and the time we rescued you from the town's center? How did you come to be there, as badly hurt as you were?" Yukito asked. Clef took a deep breath and looked away.

"Shortly after I sent you away on the back of the griffin, Alcione arrived. We fought for a few minutes, then she left, leaving a monster behind for me to fight. The battle with it was brief, but it had painful results. No sooner did I use my lightning spell, it exploded, sending me flying off what remained of the cliff. I fell a good distance before something caught me and flew to the town. The villagers tended to my wounds, at first, but when Alcione arrived there to set her trap, she decided to use me as bait. And that leads to how you found me; beaten, bloody, and with my dignity stripped away." Clef said, bitterly, as he waved the staff gently, summoning some new clothes for himself and standing up, ready to go.

"We might as well go ahead and get going. Come on." Umi said, as they all exited the 'egg'.

"Be careful, Clef." Hikaru said, as they paused at the mouth of the cave.

"I will. Go to Eterna, Presea's waiting for you." Clef said, as he went into a wooded area and disappeared.

"Let's go." Yukito said, as they started walking in the direction Mokona indicated. After a long walk, they arrived at a lake.

"Wow!" Hikaru murmured, as she stared at the scene before her.

"It's so pretty!" Umi said, as she looked out at the sparkling water.

"Almost like looking at a painting." Fuu said, then glanced at Yukito, who had been silent for some time.

"Something's not right." Yukito said, finally, as he approached the water's edge and looked down into it.

"Nonsense! This has got to be the legendary spring of Eterna!" Umi shouted, gleefully.

"Yeah!" Hikaru agreed, happily. Mokona and Yukito disagreed.

"It can't be. It was too easy getting here." Yukito said, quietly.

"What're you talking about?! This has got to be it!" Umi shouted, now on the verge of spazzing out. 

"Hey! There's a boat! Let's see if we can find anything on the other side!" Hikaru said, not wanting a fight to break out amongst them.

"Okay!" Umi said, as she and her fellow Magic Knights climbed aboard. When they had paddled out to the middle, they were disappointed that nothing was there. 

"There's nothing here, either." Fuu stated, as she looked around.

"Okay, maybe this ISN'T the legendary spring……….." Umi said, frustrated at being proven wrong. Yukito looked away from the girls when he saw a flicker of movement across the surface of the water. It suddenly dawned on him that they were in the middle of a trap! Before he could say anything, however, an enormous tidal wave washed them ashore, thoroughly drenching them. 

"What the………?!" Umi asked, as they got their weapons out. With a yell, Hikaru tried cutting the now emerged water monster in half, only to get wet and have the monster resume its shape. 

"That's it! I've had it! Water Dragon!" Umi shouted, sending her magical water flying at the beast.

"Good job." Yukito said, as the remains of the water monster rained down on them, leaving an eerie glow.

"Look! We're glowing!" Hikaru said, noticing the glow immediately. 

"It'll probably fade after we're dried off. Come on, Eterna awaits!" Umi said, as they moved across the empty ground where the lake had been. Unbeknownst to them, they were being watched by an unwanted pair of eyes!

"Puu, puu!" Mokona shouted, as it bounced on ahead of them.

"Mokona says it's just ahead of us!" Hikaru shouted, leading the way to………..an open grassy field?!

"Nani……………………..???" Yukito asked, looking completely confused. 

"Where's the spring?" Umi asked, as she looked around. 

"There's no water anywhere……….." Fuu trailed off.

"All there is is that floating pedestal thingee!" Umi said, before going on a tirade. Hikaru looked at the pedestal and a question mark basically formed over her head.

"What's wrong, Hikaru-san?" Fuu asked, noticing Hikaru's expression.

"What's that line?" Hikaru asked, as she pointed it out.

"Line?" Umi and Yukito asked, at the same time. Fuu went in for a closer look and there was, indeed, a line there.

"It……….IS a line." Fuu said, not believing what she was seeing. 

"I don't believe this…………" Yukito muttered, looking about as exasperated as Umi was frustrated. 

"What IS this?!" Umi asked, in frustration.

"I don't know…………it's just there." Fuu said, as Yukito poked a finger at the line. Hikaru turned around when Mokona abruptly scampered off.

"Mokona!" Hikaru shouted, as she followed the creature. When she got to the top of one of the rock pillars, she let out a yelp of surprise.

"What's wrong, Hikaru?!" Umi shouted, concerned that her friend had cried out.

"Umi-chan, Fuu-chan, Yukito-chan! Come see!" Hikaru shouted, urgently. As carefully as they could, the other three Magic Knights climbed onto the rock and looked down.

"What the heck?!?" Yukito yelped.

"Whoa!" Fuu said, in amazement. Below them was a pool of water; a pool of water that had not been there moments before!

"Is this the Spring of Eterna?!" Umi asked, astonished by the sudden appearance of the water.

"It wasn't there a second ago, though." Yukito said, thoughtfully, as Hikaru jumped down and took another look at the line.

"It's the line!" Hikaru shouted, getting the attention of her comrades.

"Huh?" the other three said. 

"If you look at it from the side, it just looks like a line!" Hikaru said, as she told them what she'd figured out.

"A two-dimensional spring…….." Fuu murmured.

"Bizarre………….but that might just be normal for Cephiro." Yukito said, as Hikaru climbed back onto the rock pillar and looked down into the water.

"I wonder where the Escudo is? I don't see anything around here that resembles a mineral." Umi said, as she glanced around.

"Maybe it's at the bottom of the spring." Yukito suggested.

"WHAT?!" Umi shrieked, just a second before Mokona jumped into the water below.

"Mokona?!" Hikaru shouted, as the creature disappeared below the surface. 

"I guess this means we go in." Yukito said, as he looked down at the water. 

"But how will we breathe down there?! We have no idea how deep it is!" Umi shouted, furiously. 

"We won't know until we try." Fuu said, as she also stood and looked down.

"I've decided to become a Magic Knight. So I have to get down there and get some Escudo." Hikaru said, seriously.

"I have also decided to become a Magic Knight. We can't stand here all day while a world crumbles away from beneath us. Let's get down there." Yukito said, ready to take the plunge.

"Okay!" Umi said, encouraged by her two friends' commitment.

"Let's go! It's no use standing around here." Fuu agreed.

"I don't know what's going to happen, but if we're together, we can handle it!" Hikaru said, smiling as they agreed on it.

"Let's do it." Yukito said, as they faced the pool and jumped in. Almost immediately after the water had closed over their heads, tremendous pressure assailed their bodies. Hikaru watched as Fuu, Umi, and Yukito were swept away by three separate currents. 

"_C-can't breathe_……….._Umi-chan_……….._Fuu-chan_………_Yukito-chan_……….." Hikaru thought, before blackness surrounded her. When she next awoke, she was alone.

"Umi-chan! Fuu-chan! Yukito-chan!" Hikaru shouted, but received no response. Only silence. Then a slight whimpering came to her ears. Whipping her sword out, Hikaru whirled around to face whatever it was that was coming her way. She watched tensely as the shape emerged from the shadows and her heart stopped when she saw what it was.

"Hikari……………….?" Hikaru murmured, in confusion.

Umi awoke to find a similar situation. She was alone and her friends were nowhere to be seen.

"Fuu? Hikaru? Yukito? Where are you?" Umi asked, as she looked all around her. She was met by silence.

"We've gotten split up……." Umi murmured, then straightened when she heard footsteps approaching. With a deft move, she armed herself and stood ready. But she wasn't ready for the people who stepped out of the shadows…….

"Oto-san? Oka-san? What're you doing here?!" Umi asked.

Fuu looked around the place where she'd ended up. It was silent and dark. 

"Is this the inside of the spring?" Fuu asked, standing up when she heard footsteps coming towards her. With a swift movement, she whipped her bow and arrows out and stood poised and ready to fight. She wasn't expecting what came out of the shadows to face her.

"Myself?!" Fuu asked, in stunned amazement.

Yukito groaned as he came to. He was someplace dark and silent.

"Where am I? Hikaru-san? Umi-san? Fuu-san? Where are you?" Yukito asked, getting only silence for response. Then footsteps came from behind him. Immediately he was armed and ready for battle. He stood in stunned silence as three figures emerged from the darkness.

"Grandfather?! Grandmother?! Sakura-chan?! How did you get here??!" Yukito asked, dropping his guard when he saw who was standing there.

"You're Hikari, aren't you? What are you doing here?" Hikaru asked, leaping back when the dog suddenly growled and leaped at her, fangs bared and ready for blood. 

"Hikari?! What's wrong, Hikari?!" Hikaru asked, horrified that her beloved dog had attacked her. Hikari snarled and leaped again, this time knocking Hikaru off her feet. Hikaru screamed when Hikari bit her arm, but was desperate that the dog recognize her.

"Hikari, it's me! Can't you hear me?!" Hikaru asked, tearfully, as the dog backed off, preparing itself for another attack.

"Hikari…………" Hikaru whispered, as she stared at the snarling dog.

"Oto-san, Oka-san………what're you doing here?! Is this a dream?!" Umi asked, as she approached her parents. Without warning a blast originated from over the shoulder of her father and knocked her away. With a scream, Umi fell back, gripping her left arm when a wound was opened there.

"This pain…..is no dream………" Umi gasped, as she stood away from her parents.

Fuu stood facing her mirror image with an arrow pulled back in her bow. Her mirror image was in the same position.

"_It's not a mirror_…………." Fuu thought, before her twin smiled evilly and fired an arrow at her. She winced when the arrow found it's mark in her left arm. With a desperate move, Fuu leaped to avoid a volley of arrows, then fired an arrow of her own, hitting her twin in the shoulder. She winced when a wound identical to the one she'd inflicted in her twin opened in her own shoulder.

"But she was the one hit……….Why……….?" Fuu asked, before another volley was fired, one arrow screaming past and opening a wound on her cheek.

"_When I get hurt, she gets hurt_…………._when she gets hurt, I get hurt that could only mean_……………." Fuu thought, as her twin smiled wickedly at her.

"Grandmother! Grandfather! Sakura-chan! Are you really here? Is it true that you're here?" Yukito asked, overjoyed to see his loved ones. Then a blast of energy hit him from behind and another knocked him back, opening wounds as they went. Yukito looked up at his loved ones. 

"Why are you attacking me? Don't you remember me? Grandmother, Grandfather! I'm your grandson, Yukito! Sakura-chan, please, recognize me!" Yukito shouted, before another blast hit him, knocking him into a wall.

"_Why don't they recognize me? Why?_" Yukito wondered, as he fought tears and painfully faced his loved ones.

"Stop it, Hikari! Why………?! We've been together since I was little! When I've been happy, when I've been sad, you've always been there for me………I've always told you that I love you……..so why?!" Hikaru shouted, tears mingling with the blood on her face. Still snarling, Hikari again attacked Hikaru. With a desperate swipe, Hikaru slashed the dog's neck.

"Hikari!!" Hikaru screamed, rushing to the dog's side. This was a mistake. Immediately Hikari lunged at Hikaru, grabbing her by the throat.

"Hikari…….why? Do you………….hate me now……….?" Hikaru whispered, tears cascading down her face.

Oto-san! Oka-san! Stop it!" Umi screamed, as another blast tore into her. With her eyes filled with desperation, she used her magic.

"Water Dragon!" Umi shouted, watching in horror as her parents were blasted by the magic.

"Oto-san!! Oka-san!!" Umi screamed, rushing over to her parents. She was caught in mid-stride by another blast.

"_It's no good_………_I can't fight_………._Oka-san and Oto-san!!_" Umi thought, before falling to the ground with a thud.

"I'm fighting myself…….when I attack, I take the damage myself……..What should I do? What's more……..she's still ready to fight………" Fuu thought, as she continued to dodge arrows.

__

"Magic Knights!" a voice shouted, through the melee.

"What?!" Hikaru asked, looking up from her battle.

"Who?!" Umi asked, looking away from her parents long enough to try and figure out where the voice had come from.

"Who said that?!" Fuu and Yukito asked, at the same time.

"_Children from another world!_" the voice shouted again, clearer this time.

"I know that voice………" Hikaru murmured.

"It's from Tokyo Tower…………" Yukito said, not knowing that he'd just finished Hikaru's thought.

"Did you summon us to Cephiro?" Umi asked.

"Are you Princess Emeraude?" Fuu asked. The voice's owner showed herself and nodded.

"_I am Emeraude of Cephiro. Magic Knights, you must not let your hearts be ruled by sorrow._" The girl said, with great sadness in her own eyes as she said that.

"Princess Emeraude! Where are you?!" Hikaru asked, stunned that she was meeting the one they were supposed to be rescuing.

"_Children from another world, gather your courage and think. Are those who stand before you your own beloved ones?_" Emeraude asked, ignoring Hikaru's question, completely.

"Hikari's my best friend! When I'm upset he won't leave my side. When I fall he licks my wounds! He can't speak with words, but we understand one another in our hearts!" Hikaru replied.

"They're my parents! Oka-san and Oto-san have sacrificed so much to raise me! When I get out in the world, I'm going to do my best to give it all back to them! A child is priceless to a loving parent! I can't fight them when I haven't even begun to pay them back!" Umi shouted.

"I care for myself. If anything ever happened to me, my father, my mother, my sister…………everyone who loves me will grieve. I'm still young yet, and I haven't begun to give anything back to them. At the very least, I have to make sure that I am safe and healthy. So I care for myself!" Fuu replied, as calmly as she could.

"These are my grandparents! They have taken care of me since I lost my parents! They have sheltered me with their love since I was small! I have yet to pay them back, but I intend to pay it all in full! Sakura-chan is the one I wish to live my life for! I have not yet had the chance to tell her my feelings, but, when I get back I will tell her! I can't hurt them without letting them know how I feel!" Yukito shouted, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth with his coat sleeve. 

"_Then think_…….._Would your loved ones attempt to hurt you like this? Your beloved ones_……….._would they wish you pain? Or make you suffer? Think about it, then take the Legendary Mineral Escudo_……………." Emeraude said, before disappearing from sight.

"She's gone….." Umi murmured.

"No! Hikari would never do this! He's kind and gentle! He always protects me! You're not Hikari!" Hikaru shouted, furiously, as she got her sword back out.

"Oka-san and Oto-san would never attack me!" Umi shouted, as she attacked the false parents.

"I'll heal these wounds later with my magic….." Fuu muttered, as she attacked her twin with arrows.

"Stop using my loved ones' forms against me!" Yukito shouted, angrily, slashing at the false grandparents and fourteen-year old girl.

"How dare you attack me in Hikari's form!" Hikaru shouted.

"Don't destroy my happy home!" Umi screamed.

"For the sake of my family, leave me alone!" Fuu shouted.

"Ruby Lightning!" Hikaru screamed, sending magic roaring at her enemy.

"Sapphire Whirlwind!" Umi shouted, doing the same.

"Emerald Typhoon!" Fuu cried, blowing her enemy away.

"White Avalanche!" Yukito shouted, releasing all of his anger into his magic. With united roars of power, the shadows faded away revealing…………….

"Could this be…………..?" Umi murmured.

"Escudo……….?" Yukito asked, as he looked up as the crystal that stood in front of him. He then became aware that he wasn't alone. He was relieved to see his fellow Magic Knights.

"Hikaru-san! Umi-san! Fuu-san!" Yukito greeted, as they looked from their Escudo crystals and to him, then looked at each other.

"We were with one another all along?!" Umi asked.

"We did it. We've found the legendary mineral, Escudo." Fuu said, getting a cheerful whoop from Hikaru for that statement. Then eerie laughter filled the cavern.

"No……….it can't be…………" Yukito muttered, as he looked all around him.

"I've been waiting for you, Magic Knights!" Alcione cackled, as she emerged from the darkness.

"You again?!" Hikaru asked, ready for a fight. Alcione smiled wickedly at them. 

"I see that you have found the legendary ore." Alcione said, with false cheerfulness. 

"What's it to you?" Yukito asked, glaring balefully at Alcione.

"You're not going to take it are you?" Hikaru asked, suddenly afraid for the mineral.

"Why not kill two birds with one stone? I get some Escudo and say goodbye to the Magic Knights for good!" Alcione said, with a sneer. 

"What do you mean by…………….?!" Hikaru asked, then suddenly sank to her knees with a groan. Yukito, Fuu and Umi did the same.

"It seems the poison I used is finally taking effect." Alcione purred, her voice making Yukito's stomach turn.

"W-what did you say?! Poison?!" Hikaru asked, looking up at Alcione and glaring at her. Alcione laughed.

"It was a poison that didn't show immediate results. I timed it so you would start feeling the full effects after you found the legendary ore. Now, say goodbye, Magic Knights! Frozen Finale!" Alcione shouted, with evil glee, as icy wind whirled in from nowhere and started coating the Magic Knights in ice. 

"We can't give up! We can't lose to her! Everyone in Cephiro is counting on us!" Hikaru said, from between gritted teeth, as she struggled to her feet.

"She's right! We can't let this witch beat us!" Umi agreed, following Hikaru's example. 

"Clef-san told us to become the Magic Knights!" Fuu said, as she also stood.

"And become Magic Knights, we shall!" Yukito said, as he shakily got to his feet, not willing to give up and die. Then, suddenly, a brilliant light lit up the caverns and the Escudo went into the gems on the Magic Knights' gloves. 

"What's this?!" Alcione asked, watching in amazement as the Magic Knights' armor changed.

"Let's get her!" Hikaru shouted.

"Right!" Umi, Yukito, and Fuu agreed, and prepared to send their newest spells at Alcione.

"Ruby Lightning!" Hikaru shouted, sending the red electricity at Alcione.

"Sapphire Whirlwind!" Umi screamed.

"Emerald Typhoon!" Fuu shouted.

"White Avalanche!" Yukito shouted, sending in his attack to finish Alcione off.

"No!!!!!!!!!!!" Alcione screamed, as she was sent flying away.

"All right!" Hikaru shouted, joyfully.

"Minna, our armor's changed!" Yukito said, finally noticing the changes in the armor.

"Yeah, it looks better than it did before!" Umi remarked, as she admired the armor. Within the blink of an eye, they were whisked back to the surface of Eterna, having completed their task there. With a flash, they arrived at the surface and floated just above the water, the girls being shoulder to shoulder and almost back to back and Yukito standing behind them, his arms outstretched. All of them had their eyes closed, at least until Mokona started making noise.

"Puu!" Mokona greeted, happy to see them.

"Mokona!" Hikaru said, then looked down.

"Eep!" Umi said, then they all started panicking, even Yukito was doing his fair share of scrambling. Then they all descended and looked around.

"The Escudo's in our gloves!" Hikaru said, in awe.

"Makes for easier carrying, wouldn't you say?" Yukito asked, with a grin, then suddenly hugged the three girls.

"Huh?" they all asked, then felt that Yukito was trembling.

"I don't know why the spring didn't show me images of you three but I am thankful it didn't. I don't think I would have passed that test if it had. You three have become very important to me, even though I have only known you for a few days………." Yukito said, his voice thick with emotion. The three girls looked at one another, smiled gently, and completed the group hug.

"We think you're important too, Yukito-chan." Hikaru said, gently.

"Yeah! You're almost like a big brother! Always looking out for our best interests!" Umi agreed.

"I agree with Hikaru-san and Umi-san. You have been trying to protect us since before we knew each others' names. I think, in a sense, you are our elder brother!" Fuu said, as they all separated and looked at one another.

"Yeah! From now on, you're our honorary big brother!" Hikaru said, cheerfully, getting a light laugh from Yukito.

"Arigato, minna-san." Yukito said, with a smile.

Alcione whimpered as she crawled across the floor to where Zagato now stood.

"Zagato-sama……………Zagato-sama………..I didn't realize the Magic Knights were so strong………I just let my guard down…………Next time………Zagato-sama……my beloved Zagato-sama…………" Alcione sobbed, as she pulled herself to a stand and hugged the unmoving figure of Zagato.

"Enough." Zagato said, with icy calm. Alcione's eyes opened wide as he started blowing her back with his magic.

"No!!!!! Spare me, Zagato-sama! Please!!!!!" Alcione screamed, as she was blown back into the waterfall.

"What a wuss." The second voice from earlier sneered.

"Losing to those children." the boy's voice said, also leering at Alcione's failure.

"So, the Magic Knights are fighting for Cephiro, just like the legend says……" a third voice murmured, in a monotone voice.

"Ne, Zagato-sama!" the boy's voice shouts, sounding eager to go out. Zagato turns to the speaker, with an almost curious look.

"Let me go! I want to play with them!" the boy shouts, as he starts to emerge from behind the waterfall. The High Priest of Cephiro smiles.

"Very well, Ascot." Zagato said, before turning and walking away.


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three: Presea's Sacrifice and the Shrine of the Sea

Presea looked worriedly out at the quiet Forest of Silence. It had been days since she'd sent the Magic Knights off to find the Escudo.

"_It's been unusually quiet around here these past couple of days. There have been no monsters around whatsoever! What's going on around here?!_" Presea wondered, as she turned her back to the Forest and looked at the piece of candy that Hikaru had given her. She smiled at the memory of the girl's face when she was trying to find something to pay her with.

"And to think, at first I found it hard to believe that those children are actually the Magic Knights!" Presea muttered to herself, as she popped the candy into her mouth. Just as she was starting to enjoy it, a familiar little bouncing marshmallow landed right in her back, forcing her to spit it out.

"Aw, MOKONA! You just made me waste that delicious food! You need to be punished! Now, how should I punish you? Should I stretch out your ears to see how far they will stretch? Or should I…………….wait a minute! If Mokona's here then that means……….." Presea trailed off as four youths stepped out of the darkness to greet her.

"Hikaru, Umi, Fuu, Yukito! You all made it back!" Presea said, happily.

"It wasn't easy, but we got the Escudo, Presea-san." Yukito said, motioning to the glove on his left hand with his other hand.

"Good! Now, follow me, I want to get started on your weapons right away!" Presea said, eagerly.

"Yeah!" Hikaru shouted, as she and her fellow Magic Knights followed Presea into a room that was covered, top to bottom, in natural pearl.

"Wow…….." Fuu murmured, as they all looked around at the sight.

"This is the creation room. This is where I make weapons." Presea said, turning to them with a look of pride on her face.

"Then I guess you don't need tools, huh?" Umi asked.

"All I need is a strong will. Now, let's see that Escudo." Presea said, ready to get started.

"Okay!" the four said, putting their hands forth and letting the Escudo come out of their gloves. A few seconds later, four Escudo crystals floated over the Magic Knights' heads. With a smile, Presea flicked the clasp of her armor open, revealing a delicate lace dress underneath. Yukito blushed, and looked away, while Hikaru, Umi and Fuu stared at her in astonishment. 

"Watch closely now, this is how weapons are made here in Cephiro." Presea said, as she started a dance that wrapped pieces of material around the Escudo crystals.

"I see…….." Yukito murmured, as he watched Presea work. Then a roar emanated from outside.

"What was that?!" Presea asked, pausing for a moment.

"Let's go find out!" Hikaru said, as she motioned for the other Magic Knights to follow her.

"Wait! I'll go with you!" Presea said. Hikaru shook her head.

"You finish the job here, we'll go see what made that noise. Leave everything to us!" Hikaru said.

"All right………." Presea said, reluctantly, as the four ran out of the room. 

"_They certainly have matured a lot since I first met them!_" Presea thought, before Mokona got her attention.

"Puu! Puu!" Mokona shouted. Presea smiled.

"I know. I still have a lot of work to do." Presea said, as she continued the work she'd started.

Hikaru stopped short when she saw what loomed over the courtyard wall. It was a huge, caterpillar-like monster!

"I wonder what he wants?" Umi asked, as the monster threw itself against the invisible shield that was over the courtyard.

"I don't know, but it certainly doesn't want to socialize!" Yukito said, standing ready for a fight. With the loud buzz of electricity, the monster crashed through the invisible barrier, falling lifeless into the courtyard. For a moment, the Magic Knights thought that the monster was dead, but were dismayed when they found that it wasn't.

"Okay, let's try some magic!" Hikaru shouted, getting an agreement from her friends.

"Flame Arrow!" Hikaru shouted.

"Sapphire Whirlwind!" Umi screamed.

"Emerald Typhoon!" Fuu cried, sending her attack in last. 

"Yukito!" the girls shouted, then saw him coming in behind the monster.

"White Avalanche!" Yukito shouted, sending his attack flying into the back of the monster. With a pained screech, the monster fell, but before the Magic Knights could breathe a sigh of relief, the monster once again revived itself, this time getting even bigger and uglier than it was before. After a few desperate attempts with magic, they tried their weapons. It proved to be even less effective than their magic! With an effortless thrust of its head, the monster sent the four Magic Knights flying. Inside, Presea looked up as the monster's roars got louder.

"Hikaru!…………..No, I must concentrate on what I am doing!" Presea said, torn between her duty and the fondness she had of the four Magic Knights.

Far away, Ascot looked on. Pleasure lit up his childish features when he saw what a hard time his monster was giving the Magic Knights.

"Heh. Don't they know that it is impossible to defeat Atalante?" Ascot asked, snickering as he watched the Magic Knights get tossed around like toys. With a yawn, Ascot jumped down from his floating pedestal and sat at the base of a tree.

"I'm getting kinda sleepy. I think I'll take a nap while Atalante finishes those Magic Knights off." Ascot murmured, before drifting off.

Hikaru struggled to her feet as the monster turned for another pass. Umi, Fuu, and Yukito all dazedly looked up as Hikaru faced off against the monster. It was then that Yukito saw the danger they were in; they were right in the monster's path! With a move inspired by desperation, Yukito grabbed Fuu and Umi and leaped out of the way, just as the monster rushed past. With a resounding crack, Yukito's shoulder met the stone pathway and he slid for about six feet before coming to a stop. Umi and Fuu opened their eyes when they felt him stop moving and got off of him when they heard him groan.

"Yukito-san!" Fuu yelped, as she inspected the wounded shoulder. The armor shoulderguard was cracked and in one place broken. Blood seeped from a hidden wound, staining Yukito's school jacket. For a moment Umi wanted to yell at Yukito about doing something so reckless, but remembered that he only wanted to protect them and kept her mouth shut. 

"I………….I think it's going after……….Presea-san…….." Yukito said, from between gritted teeth, as he painfully stood back up and they all watched the monster go into the house, ramming its way through solid stone walls.

"The creation room!" Hikaru shouted, as she ran after the beast.

"Presea-san!" Fuu cried, realizing that Yukito's thought had been correct. The moment they stepped into the house, their weapons vanished from their hands.

"Presea-san must be finished with our new weapons………." Yukito muttered, still holding his injured shoulder as he ran alongside the girls. 

Presea sank to her knees as she finished the process. The Magic Knights' swords were finally complete!

"Finished!" Presea said, with a sigh of relief. Then, to her horror, cracks appeared in the ceiling and a monster crashed through, sending debris flying everywhere. She stood frozen as the ceiling came down over her. Seconds later the Magic Knights appeared on the scene.

"Presea!" Hikaru shouted, as she rushed over to where the Chief Artisan had been standing, only to find that Presea was pinned under some rubble. With anger in her eyes, Hikaru unleashed her magic onto the monster.

"Ruby Lightning!" Hikaru screamed, giving the monster quite a shock. But the shock itself wasn't enough to keep the monster down for long. It suddenly changed into its butterfly form, flapping its wings and sending hurricane force winds down upon the Magic Knights. Then a brilliant light broke through the shattered remains of the creation room's ceiling, revealing four swords.

"The swords Presea made for us!……………..Escudo!" Hikaru shouted, summoning the sword into her hands for the first time.

"Shall we go into battle, my fellow Knights?" Yukito asked, as he turned to them with a grim smile on his face. 

"Yeah." Fuu and Umi replied. 

"Escudo!" the three other Magic Knights cried, summoning their swords, then leaping into battle. With loud battle cries, the four made short work of the monster. When the monster had finally disintegrated, they all stopped to see to Presea. She was fading fast.

"Presea, please hang on!" Hikaru begged, as tears formed in her eyes.

"The swords…………..?" Presea asked, her voice a painful whisper.

"We got them, Presea-san. They were wonderful." Yukito said, as he took one of her hands in his. Presea smiled gently at him, then looked up at Hikaru.

"That food you gave me……….it was delicious…………." Presea whispered.

"I think I have another piece of that candy somewhere……….." Hikaru said, as she tried to find the candy.

"_Clef_……………._I did it right, didn't I_…………………………_?_" Presea thought, before going limp in Hikaru's arms.

"Presea………………..PRESEA!!!!" Hikaru screamed, as tears flowed freely down her face. The next morning, the four Magic Knights stood silently at a grave that had a small cross in front of it. On the cross was the headpiece Presea had worn during the time they had known her. With a respectful move, Hikaru placed the piece of candy she couldn't find the night before on the crosspiece.

"Goodbye, Presea-san, and thank you." Yukito murmured, as he placed a small crystal pendant on the grave.

"Where did you get that, Yukito-san?" Fuu asked.

"I made it the day before my class and I came to Tokyo Tower. I figured it would only be fitting to give Presea-san a piece of our world, just like she'd given us a piece of hers'." Yukito said, as he wiped a tear from his eye.

"It was very fitting. I'm sure she would have liked that. C'mon, let's go." Umi said, as they started on their way again. They were well on their way when they decided to stop for lunch. 

"Mokona?" the four Magic Knights asked, giving the creature the signal.

"Puu!" Mokona said, immediately whipping out a meal for the four famished Magic Knights.

"I do hope you have some extra, Mokona." Clef said, when he suddenly appeared and sat with the Magic Knights.

"Clef!" Hikaru said, pleased to see the mage again. Clef smiled as he sat down beside Hikaru and Umi.

"We haven't seen you for a while. What have you been up to?" Yukito asked, as he started eating his lunch.

"Setting the record straight in that town. It's taken a while, but things are on the road to normalcy again. I take it that Presea has made your weapons?" Clef asked. 

"Yes. But it cost her her life." Yukito said, quietly, as shock registered on Clef's face.

"She died? How?" Clef asked.

"A monster got in and crushed the creation room. Presea was pinned under the rubble." Hikaru said, as tears stung her eyes again. Clef's eyes widened, then filled with sorrow.

"I should never………………no……………I'm sorry. I know that nothing I say can take the sorrow out of your hearts nor bring Presea back, but I am truly sorry." Clef said, honestly, as he used his robe to dry Hikaru's tears.

"Madoushi, where do we go from here? What is our quest now?" Yukito asked, with sadness in his eyes.

"Your quest is to revive the Mashin. That is what you must now do. I cannot accompany you on your quest. This is something you must undertake on your own. You will be able to contact me through Mokona if you need guidance." Clef said, calmly.

"What will you be doing while we are reviving this 'Mashin'?" Umi asked, having already finished her meal.

"I will be trying to get some mages together in case Zagato decides to send any more minions to the towns." Clef said, as he stood, summoned the griffin again, mounted, and flew off, disappearing over the treetops. 

"Well, it looks like we have a new mission." Fuu murmured.

"And it will be a dangerous one." Yukito said, as he gazed at the far away midday moon. As they all stood up, Fuu looked at the orb Ferio had given her. It was an ornate piece of work that had rubies and gold engravings all over it.

"Hey, isn't that the orb Ferio gave you?" Umi asked, as she looked over Fuu's shoulder at the item.

"Yes, it is." Fuu replied, blushing a little bit. 

"And didn't he say something about wishes?" Umi asked, her eyes getting a hopeful glint in them. 

"Yes………." Fuu said, not liking where this was going.

"May I make a wish? Huh? May I? May I?" Umi asked, sounding not unlike a six-year-old. Fuu nodded, allowing Umi to take the gem.

"Ahem…………I wish that we go back to Tokyo soon………and I also wish that I will win the fencing tournament!" Umi said, as she held the gem over her head in triumph. There was a unanimous sigh of exasperation from Hikaru, Fuu, and Yukito.

"Why don't you make a wish, Hikaru?" Umi asked, as she handed the gem to the shorter girl. Hikaru looked bemusedly down at the orb, then took a deep breath.

"I WANT TO SEE HIKARI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Hikaru shouted, blowing the other Magic Knights away.

"What're you trying to do?! Blow our eardrums out?!?" Umi asked, looking somewhat frazzled. 

"Hikaru-san's got good lungs." Yukito said, smiling even though his glasses were at an odd angle on his face. 

"What gave you the first clue, Sherlock?" Umi asked, sarcastically. 

"Yukito-chan, why don't you make a wish?" Hikaru asked, as she held the orb out to Yukito. Yukito smiled and shook his head.

"No. My wish has already been granted." Yukito said, warmly.

"What was your wish, Yukito?" Umi asked, her expression softened by the gentleness of Yukito's tone.

"My wish was to be able to protect you three with all my strength." Yukito replied, as he straightened his glasses and started walking down the path. Fuu waited until her friends had disappeared down the path and whispered something to the orb, before rushing to join her friends. After a while, they reached the seaside.

"What a beautiful place!" Hikaru said, as she looked out at the sparkling water.

"It is almost hard to believe that Cephiro is crumbling when I see something like this." Yukito said, as he picked up a pearly, iridescent seashell and tucked it into his pocket.

"Puu!" Mokona shouted, as it released a light from its forehead and conjured up a huge, strange bowl-like object with wings. 

"What the………..?!" Yukito yelped.

"No way!!" Hikaru said, freaking out.

"I think he wants us to get on." Umi said, uncertainly.

"Umi-san, can you understand Mokona?" Fuu asked. While Umi muttered something about freaking out, Yukito inspected the strange craft.

"It's safe." Yukito said, then politely helped the girls get on. Before they knew it, they had ascended high into the sky.

"Look at the scenery!" Hikaru said, as she pointed out the sights.

"What about it?" Fuu asked, as she and the other Magic Knights looked at what Hikaru was pointing at.

"It's the same as when we were first summoned to Cephiro. The sea, the mountain in the sky, the midday moon and the volcano." Hikaru said, with wonder in her eyes.

"You're right. This is the same scenery." Yukito said, as he looked around at the beauty. Before anything more could be said, however, their 'ride' decided to fall.

"We're falling!" Umi screamed, as she grabbed onto the side of the flying bowl.

"Again!" Yukito shouted, as he braced himself for impact. When the bottom of the bowl touched the water, a protective bubble formed around the top, making the craft watertight. 

"We've been surrounded by an air bubble." Fuu murmured, looking slightly disheveled by the whole incident. 

"Mokona, I am now beginning to see why Umi-san's nerves are always on edge!" Yukito said, sounding slightly miffed with the bouncing marshmallow.

"Puu!" Mokona said, as it found refuge in Hikaru's arms. 

"Look!" Umi shouted, getting the attention of her fellow Magic Knights.

"It seems to be some kind of shrine." Fuu said, awestruck by the sight.

"Are you all right, Umi-san?" Yukito asked, noticing that Umi had gone pale and shivered occasionally.

"I…………I don't know………" Umi said, her voice soft and painfilled. With ease, they entered the shrine keep and the bubble dissolved from around them.

"What is this place?" Hikaru asked, as she looked around.

"This is the Shrine of the Sea. The Mashin rests here." Umi murmured, her voice sounding strange and far away.

"How'd you know that, Umi-chan?!" Hikaru asked, as Umi started walking away from them.

"Umi-san!" Fuu and Yukito shouted, as they and Hikaru started following Umi. They followed their dazed friend into a huge antechamber. At the very back of the chamber stood a huge, life-sized dragon relief in the stone wall.

"A dragon?!" Hikaru yelped, not prepared for what would happen next. Very slowly, Umi approached the dragon relief and as she stepped closer, the dragon came to life and emerged from the stone wall.

"The dragon's moving!" Hikaru shouted, as she and Yukito started to move forward, but were prevented from going any farther by Mokona.

"Mokona, is Umi really going to be all right?!" Fuu asked, frantically. Mokona nodded. Umi stared at the dragon, calmly and held out a hand to it.

"**_My name is Selece. I am the Legendary Mashin that only a Magic Knight can touch._**" The dragon said, his voice echoing with power.

"So the Mashin is a dragon?!" Hikaru said, as she looked up at the huge beast.

"Well, well! Look who's finally here! I was getting bored waiting!" a boy's voice shouted from behind. Yukito, Hikaru and Fuu whirled around to find the owner of the voice standing there.

"A little kid…………….?" Hikaru asked, confused.

"I'm gonna get you for killing my friend Atalante! Time to die, Magic Knights!" the boy shouted, as he put actions behind his words.

"_Makishima!_ Monster Summons!" the boy shouted, as he sent a monster after the three Knights. 

"Move!" Yukito shouted, as he whipped out his sword and dodged a blow from the newly arrived monster. With an earth-shattering roar, the monster ripped chunks of stone out of the walls and sent them flying at the Knights. Yukito gasped as a small stone shard tore straight through his side, leaving a bloody mess in its wake.

"Yukito-chan!" Hikaru screamed, rushing over to his side when she saw him fall, even though she herself was bleeding from a wound.

"I don't see how Alcione could lose to you! You're a bunch of wimps!" the boy crowed, when he saw that Yukito lay bleeding on the floor.

"Alcione?! Are you one of her friends?!" Hikaru asked, as she looked up at the boy.

"Ha! I'm not friends with that old witch!" the boy said, as he sent another monster their way. 

"Run." Yukito gasped, his eyes filled with pain.

"No! I'm not going to leave you here!" Hikaru said, stubbornly.

"You must…………." Yukito said, as he struggled to his feet.

"Yukito-chan!" Hikaru screamed as Yukito summoned all of his strength to fight back.

"Oh? One puny, wounded Magic Knight against me? Let's see how much fun you can be!" the boy sneered, ordering his monster to attack. 

"White Avalanche!" Yukito shouted, sending the blinding snow attack at the monster, freezing it into a solid ice block. While this was going on, Umi was talking to Selece.

"The Legendary Mashin………." Umi murmured, as she looked up at the blue dragon.

"**_Young woman from another world, you have been summoned to become a Magic Knight. Show me that you are worthy of donning me… Present me proof._**" Selece said, coolly.

"Proof?" Umi asked. 

"**_Show me your power. Present me the strength of heart worthy of a Magic Knight._**" Selece demanded.

"Strength of heart…….." Umi trailed off, before the screams of her friends broke through her trance. With a gasp, Umi turned around, just in time to see Yukito, Hikaru and Fuu hit the ground.

"Hikaru! Fuu! Yukito!" Umi shouted, as she rushed over to her friends' side. All three of her comrades were unconscious and bleeding. 

"Hahahah! They're so weak! Even that guy is weak! I hate weak guys!" the boy said, as Umi checked each of the wounded Knights.

"You hurt them, didn't you?!" Umi asked, rage burning deep in her heart.

"Heh………Go! Get her too!" the boy shouted, sending the monster at Umi.

"Water Dragon!" Umi shouted, destroying the monster effortlessly. 

"How dare you……….destroy my friend………." The boy shouted, furiously, before sending another monster to attack Umi. Umi defeated that one as well. With a grief-stricken yell, the boy summoned even more monsters. Panting with exhaustion, Umi quickly found out that she was being driven away from her friends. She turned and looked in horror as a few monsters grabbed the unconscious teens.

"Fuu! Hikaru! Yukito!" Umi screamed, in horror. The boy laughed fiendishly.

"These three are just like little dolls! Maybe my friends can play with them!" the boy said, as one monster tugged on Fuu's arm.

"STOP IT!" Umi screamed, then remembered what Selece had said.

"_Show me your power. Present to me the strength of heart befitting a Magic Knight!_" Selece's voice echoed in her mind.

"Strength of heart…………" Umi murmured, beginning to understand. 

"Man! These three were stupid! They could die from their own wounds, yet they risked their lives to protect you……..isn't that stupid?" the boy asked, smiling when Yukito let out a cry of pain.

"What do you mean stupid?" Umi asked, suddenly infuriated.

"It's stupid to hurt yourself for someone else. So they're stupid!" the boy said, laughing at the way the Magic Knights remained limp in the monsters hands.

"Apologize!" Umi said, furiously.

"What was that?" the boy asked, innocently.

"Water Dragon!" Umi screamed, destroying another monster with her magic.

"Apologize!" Umi shouted again, as she took a step closer to the boy. Frightened, the boy backed away and summoned another monster. That didn't stop Umi. She destroyed the monster effortlessly.

"Apologize!" Umi said, now standing two feet away from the boy.

"W-what do I have to apologize for?!" the boy stuttered.

"You insulted my friends!" Umi replied, still incensed by what he had done.

"Your friends?" the boy asked.

"That's right! Hikaru, Fuu and Yukito are my best friends and precious allies. I won't let you insult them and get away with it.

"F-friends?" the boy stuttered again. Thinking that the boy was in danger, a monster attacked Umi from behind. Umi whirled around and quickly dispatched the monster before it could do her harm. 

"My friend! You destroyed my friend!" the boy screamed, in anguish.

"Friend?" Umi asked.

"That's right! These monsters are my friends!" the boy shouted, before Umi slapped him hard across the face. 

"How can you make your friends fight for you?! Don't you care if we hurt your friends? Or even kill them?!" Umi shouted, not believing what she was hearing.

"I care!" the boy retaliated, tearfully.

"Then you understand why I get mad when my friends are hurt! You hate it when your friends get hurt don't you? You know what it's like to need to save them from danger! If you do, then let my friends go!" Umi shouted, gripping the boy's shoulders firmly then releasing him. The boy turned and looked up at the monsters who were holding the limp forms of Fuu, Yukito, and Hikaru and nodded. Ever so gently, the monsters put the Magic Knights down and Umi rushed over to them, anxious and worried. 

"Yukito! Hikaru! Fuu! Are you okay?!" Umi asked.

"It hurts………….but I think we'll live, Umi-san." Yukito said, wincing painfully as he put a hand over his side wound. Umi smiled in relief, then looked at the boy.

"Are those monsters your friends?" Umi asked, as the boy patted the beak of one monster.

"Yes, but everyone says that weird-looking things can't be friends….and I shouldn't be nice to them because they are monsters…..No one understands that they're really nice…." The boy sobbed, sadly.

"I understand." Umi said, softly.

"Huh?" the boy asked, surprised by that remark.

"These monsters were worried for you. Just like I care for my friends, they care for you." Umi said, as she smiled in understanding. The boy looked wonderingly at her face.

"By the way, what's your name?" Umi asked.

"A-Ascot." The boy said, nervously.

"Eh?………Muscat?" Umi asked, confused.

"ASCOT!" the boy shouted, embarrassed by the mistake.

"Oh, Ascot. Do you hate us, Ascot?" Umi asked.

"Huh? N-no I don't really……." Ascot replied, quietly.

"Then why did you attack us?" Umi asked, again.

"Well, Zagato said………" Ascot trailed off when Umi let out a yelp of recognition.

"Zagato?!" Umi asked, shocked that such a young boy could be working for Zagato. Yukito listened halfheartedly to the conversation. He still wondered what the dragon had anything to do with. He could hear the boy sobbing and could also Umi talking in a quiet, gentle tone. Suddenly, a brilliant blue light lit the scene, enveloping first Umi, then the other Magic Knights. When the wind had abated, the four Magic Knights stood refreshed, with newly evolved armor and swords.

"The armor has changed again! And the sword too!" Umi exclaimed, before Selece's voice got her attention.

"**_Magic Knight, I have seen the strength of your feelings for your friends. I recognize it as proof._**" Selece said, before changing shape right before Umi's eyes. The mighty blue dragon disappeared in the midst of some dazzling blue light, only to be replaced by a robotic looking creature.

"A robot?" Umi asked, confused. Fuu, Hikaru and Yukito stared in awe at the Mashin.

"**_However, your heart is not yet ready to don me. I will return to you when you have become a true Magic Knight._**" Selece said, before disappearing into the gem on the front of Umi's breastplate.

"Erm……….t-that was the dragon…….wasn't it?" Hikaru asked, very confused.

"So the Mashin was a giant robot….." Fuu said, while Yukito stood where he was, completely dumbfounded by the whole event.

"You're all right!" Umi shouted, gleefully, as she rushed up and hugged each of them. 

"But of course. Though our armor appears to have changed again." Yukito said, smiling. Then they all looked at Ascot, who stood watching them. At first Hikaru and Fuu jumped back and Yukito tensed up, but then Umi gave them a reassuring smile.

"Minna, it's all right." Umi said, as Ascot walked up to them, his head bowed in shame.

"I…………….I'm sorry." Ascot said, honestly meaning his apology. While they all started talking to Ascot, they were unaware that their enemy was watching.

Zagato frowned when he saw that Ascot had failed. Somehow, he'd known that Ascot was going to fail.

"They've revived the Mashin." Zagato muttered, as the waterfall cascaded behind him.

"Well, Ascot is only a kid, right? I'm not surprised that he couldn't cut it. So, it's my turn next. Just leave 'em to Caldina!" a woman said, as she stepped through the waterfall and gave her cotton candy pink hair a casual flip. Zagato never answered, but he gave her leave. What did he have to lose? 


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four: The End of a Journey………..or is it?

Yukito yawned as the 'flying bowl' started on its way to the crystalline mountain that lay in front of them.

"Tired Yukito?" Umi asked, still concerned about him and the other two Knights, even though Selece's light had healed their wounds. 

"Yes. This adventure is proving to be every bit as exhausting as I thought it would be." Yukito replied, as he reclined on the edge of the bowl. Before anything more could be said, the sky suddenly darkened and black clouds filled the horizon. 

"What the……….?! Mokona! What's going on?!" Umi asked, only getting a confused 'puu' from Mokona for a response.

"Look!" Fuu shouted, as she pointed at something that was appearing from the gloom. As they watched, a huge holographic image appeared before them. It appeared to be a man clothed in black armor, with long ebony hair and icy purple eyes. He smiled maliciously down at them, as lightning arced around him.

"Who are you?!" Hikaru asked, as the other Magic Knights stood warily next to her.

"I am the High Priest, Zagato. I must say that your skills and your ability to get this far impress me. But this is as far as you will go. Farewell, Magic Knights." The man said, as he held a hand over them and unleashed a spell. The four Magic Knights screamed in pain as white-hot light enveloped them and they disappeared in a brilliant flash of light. Then something unexpected happened; another flash of light countered the true effects of Zagato's spell, forcing the High Priest to shield his face when his magic mirror shattered into a million pieces. Zagato scowled; he knew who was at fault now.

"You saved the Magic Knights, didn't you?" Zagato accused, as the dainty, golden haired princess looked up at him.

"Please stop, Zagato. Please." Emeraude begged, tearfully. Zagato merely stood where he was and glared at her.

Ferio sighed as he looked around the empty tavern. Things were definitely not normal around here.

"I would like to know the way to the nearest town. By the way, I've noticed that everybody seems depressed around here." Ferio said, noticing the air of despair around the place. The tavern keeper sighed.

"Monsters attack almost every day now. And there's…………." the tavern keeper trailed off, preventing himself from saying anything else.

"What?" Ferio asked, curiosity piqued.

"N-nothing!" the tavern keeper stuttered, before faking laughter and rushing off, leaving Ferio standing there, scratching his head. Moments later, Ferio was on his way again. He wondered how the Magic Knights were doing. He smiled when he remembered Fuu. But the smile vanished when a familiar roar sounded, signaling the arrival of a monster. With ease only befitting someone of Ferio's stature, Ferio took out the monster, ready when two more attacked.

"That tavern keeper was right! There are more monsters about!" Ferio muttered, before it started raining.

"Oh great!" Ferio groaned, before running off to find some shelter. When he'd found some, he sat down and started drying himself off, grumbling complaints under his breath as he did so. He stopped when he felt something pulsate against his chest. Reaching into his tunic, he brought out the orb he hadn't given Fuu and looked at it.

"Ferio! Ferio!" a girl's voice called from it. Ferio froze; he knew that voice!

"Ferio, this is Princess Emeraude!" the voice implored, desperately.

"Princess Emeraude! Where are you? Tell me where you are and I will come and rescue you right now!" Ferio shouted, suddenly very alert.

"Go to the lake on the outskirts of the Peerless Village. You must help the Magic Knights! They need your help! Please rescue them, Ferio!" Emeraude begged, before her voice faded and the orb went quiet.

"Princess Emeraude! Wait I……………!" Ferio trailed off when he found that it would be useless to continue talking to the orb. Silently, he started walking to where he knew the lake to be. When he'd arrived, he paused and looked down. He was stunned when a light appeared and, when that faded, left the four unconscious Knights lying there. 

"Fuu!" Ferio yelped, as he kneeled down next to her and lifted her part way into his arms. She uttered a gasp and opened her eyes, looking startled at seeing Ferio kneeling there.

"Ferio? What're you doing here?" Fuu asked, as the other three Magic Knights roused up, none the worse for wear.

"Ouch………what a shock! Oh, hello Ferio-kun!" Yukito greeted, good-naturedly. 

"Hey! What happened to you guys?" Ferio asked, noticing the slightly singed appearance of their clothes.

"We nearly got fried by that jerk, Zagato!" Umi said, looking about ready to pop in her frustration.

"No kidding. Come on, there's a town nearby. The least I can do is get you all a bite to eat." Ferio said, as he helped them all to their feet and led the way back to the town. When they'd arrived in the town's tavern, they all sat down, grateful for a rest. Poor Mokona, on the other hand, wandered aimlessly around, still knocked silly by Zagato's blast.

"So, Ferio-kun, how did you know that we were going to turn up near that lake?" Yukito asked. Ferio was immediately taken off guard.

"Erm………….uh…………." Ferio stuttered, then noticed that all eyes were on him.

"Yeah, Ferio, how did you know?" Umi asked, while she and Fuu moved in to better hear his explanation. 

"Well…………….the orb I gave Fuu……….and the orb I still have………..they are not exactly wishing jewels." Ferio said, reluctantly.

"WHAT?!" Umi exploded, forcing poor Ferio to hide under a table.

"Hey! Don't kill me!" Ferio shouted, as Umi looked venomously at him. Fuu, on the other hand, blushed furiously.

"Then you heard their wishes, didn't you, Ferio-kun?" Yukito asked, looking slightly amused about the situation.

"Yeah, I did." Ferio said, from his safe haven under the table across the room.

"Then you heard my wish………..?" Fuu asked, her voice barely audible. Ferio blushed and nodded. Yukito chuckled while Hikaru looked completely lost. 

"What does that have to do with this?" Hikaru asked, looking to Yukito for advice.

"I think Ferio-kun's about to explain………from the safety of his shelter." Yukito replied, laughing when Umi circled the table Ferio was hiding under.

"Princess Emeraude contacted me by the orb and told me where you would turn up. I don't know how she knew though." Ferio replied, seriously, but still from within the relative safety of his hiding place.

"I get it! That thing's some sort of cell phone isn't it?" Umi asked, getting the anime sweat-drop from her friends for a response.

"What's a cell phone? Some kind of monster from your world?" Ferio asked, looking very much confused. 

"Never mind, Ferio." Umi said, as she sat down and Ferio got out from under his table. They were all about to settle down and eat when the doors were thrown open and several men charged in, all of them armed with swords and spears.

"Not again!" Umi yelped, as she and her fellow Magic Knights armed themselves and faced the townsfolk.

"It appears that we are unwelcome in this town!" Yukito shouted, as he parried a blow with his sword and landed a kick to his opponent's stomach, effectively knocking the wind out of him. 

"Sure looks that way, Yukito-san!" Fuu said, as she dodged a blow from another man. In the midst of the melee, Ferio spotted the tavern keeper, ran over to him, grabbed him, and held a knife to his throat.

"All of you stop right now! If you don't stop, I will kill him!" Ferio shouted, getting the attention of the men. Within moments, the situation was under control.

"Why did you attack us?" Hikaru asked, stunned by what had just happened.

"If we hadn't, she would have killed us and destroyed the town." The tavern keeper said, sadly.

"She? Who is 'she'?" Ferio asked, raising an eyebrow in skepticism. The tavern keeper averted his eyes.

"She's a minion of Zagato. Her name is Caldina." The tavern keeper said, somberly.

"Caldina, eh?" Ferio muttered, his golden eyes taking on a sly appearance.

"How many minions does Zagato have, anyway?!" Umi asked, already sick and tired of facing minions of Zagato. Ferio ignored Umi's ranting and went back to interrogating the tavern keeper.

"Does she have any particular weaknesses?" Ferio asked.

"Why? Are you thinking of fighting her?! You're insane to even consider it!" another man exclaimed, aghast.

"I'm not thinking of fighting her, I just need to know if she has any weaknesses, that's all." Ferio said, calmly.

"Well, she does have a weakness for money, sir." A youth who looked to be about thirteen or fourteen said, quietly.

"Money? Does she like to gamble as well?" Ferio asked. The youth nodded.

"In fact, before you came here with those girls and guy, she was willing to forget that we had weapons in this town if we paid up in gold." The youth said, matter-of-factly.

"Thank you for telling me. Now I think I can get the Magic Knights out of here." Ferio said, then looked at the youth.

"What's your name, kid?" Ferio asked.

"Syaoran. I'm the son of a knight who went to fight Zagato and did not return." The youth replied, gripping his sword's pommel and looking up at Ferio proudly.

"Do ya have any relations around here, Syaoran-kun? Aunts, uncles, grandparents?" Yukito asked. Syaoran shook his head. 

"How sad. You're all alone." Umi said, sympathetically.

"I'm never really alone, though, I have a fairy that travels with me, but she's hiding right now." Syaoran replied, bravely.

"You travel a lot by yourself, don't you, Syaoran-chan?" Hikaru asked. Syaoran blushed slightly and nodded. 

"I'm on a quest. I intend to become a knight, just like my father." Syaoran said, with pride. 

"I'm sure you'll make a great knight!" Hikaru said, with a smile. Syaoran nodded, encouraged by the red haired Magic Knight. 

"Do have an idea to save the town, Ferio?" Fuu asked. 

"Yeah. But you'll have to leave quickly after I distract Caldina." Ferio said, calmly. Fuu started to object, but was prevented from doing so by Ferio, who gently placed a finger to her lips. 

"Don't worry. I'll be careful." Ferio said, gently. He then looked at the other three Magic Knights.

"By the way, how many Mashin have you revived?" Ferio asked, getting a confused look from the four Knights.

"One. Isn't that all we need?" Hikaru asked (by now the townsfolk had left the tavern). Ferio shook his head.

"According to the legend, there are four Mashin, one for every Magic Knight." Ferio said, backing away before Umi could go on a rampage.

"That would explain why we were heading for that floating mountain. There must be another shrine up there." Yukito murmured, thoughtfully. 

"And another shrine means another Mashin………….that means that our quest has only just begun." Fuu said, still looking a little worried about Ferio. 

"So the sooner you guys can get out of here, the sooner you can get to that Mashin!" Syaoran said, then added, "Don't worry, Sir Ferio can handle Caldina." 

"We'll take your word for it, Syaoran-chan." Hikaru said, smiling when the young knight hopeful smiled back at her. 

"Syaoran, do me a favor and help the Magic Knights get out of town. You know the woods, you should be able to get them out, unnoticed." Ferio said, as he left the tavern, prepared to lay the groundwork for his plan.

"C'mon. We'll go to the house I've been staying in till nightfall. Then we can use the back door to make our escape." Syaoran said, as he led the four Knights across the town's square. The moment Yukito had stepped through the door and Syaoran had closed it behind him, they were confronted by a something that had wings.

"Nani……….?!?" Yukito yelped, as the fairy ran into his face.

"Meiling! You know better than to attack visitors!" Syaoran scolded, as the fairy looked at him and gave him a sheepish look.

"Gomene." Meiling said, in a small, musical voice.

"No problem. You were just being protective, that's all. My name is Yukito." Yukito said, as the fairy smiled at him.

"Pleased to meet you!" Meiling chirped, then turned and looked at Hikaru, Umi and Fuu. 

"Who're they?" Meiling asked, as she pointed at the girls.

"I'm Hikaru!" Hikaru said, cheerfully.

"My name's Umi." Umi introduced, as she 'shook fingers' with the tiny sprite.

"And I'm Fuu." Fuu finished, as Meiling approached her and looked closely at her glasses.

"I think she likes you four. She doesn't usually take to strangers." Syaoran commented. 

"Maybe she was just shy. Ne, Meiling-san?" Yukito asked. The fairy blushed and nodded, before hiding in Syaoran's hair. Slowly, the hours passed and the sun dipped below the horizon. When darkness had fallen over the town, Syaoran poked his head out and took a look around. All clear.

"Okay, the coast is clear. Let's go." Syaoran whispered, as he led the group out of the house and into the starlit night. Ferio was nowhere to be seen, but they could assume that he was busy distracting Caldina. It took them several hours to get through the woods and onto a clear path again. By then, pale slivers of light were streaking across the predawn sky.

"Finally, the path." Umi muttered, stifling a yawn as she walked. 

"Do you think we could stop and rest now, Syaoran-kun? Hikaru-san's already asleep." Yukito said, nodding at the slumbering girl in his arms. 

"It should be safe enough. We're well away from the town, and they don't know which direction we took. Go ahead and get some sleep. I'll keep watch." Syaoran said, as the four Knights settled down, sleep quickly overtaking Umi and Yukito. Fuu, on the other hand, remained awake, her worry for Ferio overwhelming. 

"_Ferio_…………….." Fuu thought, as she gazed back at the forest they had left behind them.

"Hey, Fuu………can you hear me?" a familiar voice asked, from the orb she carried!

"Ferio!" Fuu yelped, rousing Umi, Yukito and Hikaru and startling Syaoran. She heard a chuckle from Ferio as she looked at the orb.

"My plan worked! You guys are free to go and find the rest of the Mashin. Good luck!" Ferio said, cheerfully.

"Thank you, Ferio." Fuu whispered, relieved that the handsome rogue was all right.

Meanwhile, far away, Caldina cheerfully counted the money she'd won from Ferio while they had been playing cards. She looked up when she heard the door open.

"Hey……" a boy's voice said, as its owner peeked into the room.

"Hey, Ascot." Caldina said, gently.

"Did anything good happen today?" Ascot asked, sounding sad.

"I got this money, but the Magic Knights slipped through my fingers. Don't worry, we'll get them." Caldina said, reassuringly. Ascot looked down at the boards that made up the floor he was standing on, looking almost ashamed. He no longer wanted to get the Magic Knights, but he couldn't bring himself to telling Caldina that. 

"_What am I going to do?_" Ascot wondered, as he wandered back outside and gazed at the early morning sky. 


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five: Fuu and the Mountain in the Sky

It took the Magic Knights almost a full week before they reached the mountains that were close to the floating mountain. They'd faced many dangers along the way, but they had finally reached the next stage of their journey. 

"I can't believe that Caldina made us attack you, Fuu!" Umi said, for the fifteenth time that day.

"It's all right, Umi-san. It wasn't your fault." Fuu said, as they reached the summit of one of the mountains.

"I wonder,……………. once we're on the top of this mountain, how will we get to the floating one?" Yukito said, as he sat down to catch his breath.

"Good question." Hikaru said, looking up when something cold and wet touched her face.

"Oh great! It's starting to rain again!" Umi shouted, as they all looked for some shelter so they could wait out the approaching storm. When they came to a cave, they set up camp in it. 

"I hope Ferio and Syaoran-san are all right out there." Fuu murmured. The other Magic Knights nodded. They'd tried to persuade Syaoran to join them, but he'd politely declined the offer.

"_I don't want to be a burden to you. Besides, you have your quest, and I have mine. It's best that we follow the path destiny has laid out for us. Who knows? Maybe our paths will cross again!_" Syaoran had said, before bidding farewell to the Magic Knights. 

"Wherever they are, I am sure they are safe." Yukito said, as he reclined on the rock wall and watched the storm rage outside.

Ferio gasped, as his handhold came loose. He could barely hold on to the cliff face, since the wind and rain had picked up dramatically. Blindly, he felt around for another handhold, relieved when he found one and started the arduous process of pulling himself up. Finally, he made it to the summit and dragged himself onto the level surface. He was completely exhausted, but he managed to look up and see that he wasn't alone; a young girl lay sprawled on the stone surface. With a sudden burst of energy, Ferio scrambled over to her side and looked her over. She looked to be about thirteen or fourteen, had long, pale blue hair that was tied back in a ponytail, and pale skin. Next to her was a basket that appeared to be filled with herbs. 

"Hey! Are you all right?!" Ferio asked, as he picked her up and gently shook her.

"Medicinal herbs………….." the girl muttered, feverishly, as Ferio got to his feet. 

"_She's got a fever. I wonder how she got up here? Damn. If I don't get out of this rain, I'll end up like her!_" Ferio thought, as he headed for the cave he saw across from him.

Yukito jumped when he heard footsteps coming toward the cave he and the girls were staying in. Arming himself, Yukito stood poised, ready to fight at a moment's notice. 

"Yukito? Is that you?" a man's voice asked, from the gloom.

"Ferio-kun!" Yukito yelped, getting the three girls' attention.

"Ferio!" Fuu shouted, relieved. Then she saw that Ferio was carrying an unconscious girl in his arms.

"Hey! What happened?!" Umi asked, as she rushed over and looked at the girl.

"She must've collapsed after getting caught in the rain. She's got a high fever." Ferio said, as he sat beside the fire and started getting dried off. 

"Mokona, she needs some dry clothes." Umi said. Mokona cheerfully complied and supplied.

"Ferio-kun, I suggest you turn around." Yukito said, as he politely turned his back to the girls. Ferio did the same; he didn't particularly like the idea of getting caught by Umi's rage. After they (the girls) had gotten the strange girl out of her drenched clothes and gotten the dry ones on her, they asked Mokona for some sleeping bags, getting the same response as before. Then a comfortable silence came over the group. Fuu desperately wanted to talk to Ferio, but the moment she opened her mouth, the strange girl roused up.

"It looks like her fever's broken!" Hikaru said, as the girl opened her eyes and looked bewilderingly up at her. 

"W-who are you? Where am I? The herbs! Where's the herbs?!" the girl asked, frantically.

"Whoa! Slow down! I gathered them up and brought them in." Ferio said, as he motioned to the basket that now sat beside his sword. The girl sighed with relief.

"What's your name?" Hikaru asked.

"My name is Sera. I live in a village near these mountains. My brother became ill and I had to come up here to get the herbs he needed. Before I could get back it started to rain and I got lost. Then I blacked out and found myself waking up here." The girl replied, her voice soft.

"You were lucky that Ferio-kun found you when he did." Yukito said, getting a small nod of agreement from Sera. Shortly after that, Umi announced that it was time to call it a night. Ferio continued to watch the storm from his vantage point at the cave entrance. 

"Fe……………!" Fuu started to say, before Sera sat back up.

"What's the matter? Couldn't you sleep?" Ferio asked, as Sera looked at him with troubled eyes.

"No. Fact is, I'm a little scared. Is it true that Cephiro is crumbling?" Sera asked.

"Yeah. But I'm sure the Magic Knights cane set things to rights. Do you feel like eating anything?" Ferio asked, as he motioned to the soup pot Mokona had produced earlier. Sera nodded.

"Why don't you throw some of the seasoning herbs in? I gathered some with the medicinal ones." Sera suggested.

"Okay." Ferio said, as he took some of the herbs and sprinkled it in with his soup. He was surprised by the taste.

"Wow! This is good!" Ferio said, careful not to awaken the Magic Knights when he said so. Sera smiled.

"I'm glad you like it." Sera said, honestly.

"Keep making soup like this and I will rescue you any time you want!" Ferio said, jokingly.

"You're so easygoing!" Sera said, as they both laughed. Fuu sighed and closed her eyes. Hours passed and the storm blew itself out. It was a splendid morning.

"Hey! The storm's over! Let's go!" Hikaru shouted, rousing the other Magic Knights. Ferio was still in his place by the cave entrance, but he looked tired.

"Oh! Good morning! Guess I must have fallen asleep!" Ferio said, as he started to get up, but became dizzy and toppled over.

"Ferio!" Hikaru and Umi yelped, as Yukito, Sera, and Fuu rushed to his side.

"He's got a fever!" Sera exclaimed, noticing the heat that emanated from Ferio's skin.

"Probably from the rain." Yukito murmured, but his eyes said something else. Something wasn't right.

"I'm all right, really." Ferio said, weakly, not convincing his companions in the least. Fuu gazed at him, more worried than she had ever been before. Sera caught the look and smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry, I'll stay here with him. You have a mission you must attend to." Sera said, bravely. Fuu nodded.

"Okay, then." Fuu said, as the rest of the Knights started to walk away from the cave.

"Wait! Fuu!" Ferio called, as Fuu started to walk away. Fuu paused.

"What's with all the weird looks lately? C'mon, don't think about unimportant stuff! You must concentrate on saving Cephiro!" Ferio said, roughly.

"I already knew that!" Fuu said, angrily, then started to walk away. She was stopped by a hand gripping her arm in a firm, yet gentle grip.

"Fuu……I don't know what you're thinking, but know this, I believe in you." Ferio said, gently. Fuu turned and looked at Ferio. She could see the belief in his eyes, even though his cheeks were flushed with fever. Fuu smiled, finally understanding.

"I understand. Don't worry, I will revive the Mashin and return. Sera-san, take care of him, will you?" Fuu asked. Sera nodded.

"Fuu-san!" Yukito called.

"Come one, Fuu!" Umi shouted.

"Okay! Wait up!" Fuu shouted, as she ran to catch up with them. Once again, Mokona got the flying bowl out and they flew across the chasm to where the next shrine waited. The flight wasn't exactly smooth.

"It doesn't feel entirely stable." Fuu murmured, as the craft wobbled, then plunged.

Ferio collapsed to his knees as pain tore through him. His head throbbed and every breath he took was agony.

"It appears that there is a very strong bond between you and Fuu." Sera said, calmly.

"W-what're you saying?!" Ferio gasped, as he struggled to his feet and looked at the girl. 

"How would you feel if your beloved Fuu died right in front of your eyes?" Sera asked, sadistically. Ferio stared at her, in disbelief, grimacing as more pain slashed through him.

"By the way, how did you like the taste…………" the girl said, before crumpling to the ground, as smoke rose from her body and formed another figure behind her.

"Of my special herbs?" the new figure asked, with a wicked sneer, before shooting some sort of sticky substance at Ferio, that of which effectively tied the warrior to the far wall.

"What the………….?! You're one of Zagato's scum, aren't you?!" Ferio asked, as the elfin man smiled wickedly up at him. 

"Thanks to you, I now know the weakness of one of the Magic Knights. Now you can only kick yourself as you watch your beloved Fuu die, calling the name of the man she so desperately loves!" the elf sneered, before setting up an illusion screen so Ferio could watch what was about to happen and disappearing in a puff of smoke, leaving Ferio and the unconscious Sera in the cave.

Umi, Yukito, and Hikaru all groaned as they came around. It had been a rough landing. They all looked up when they noticed that Fuu wasn't in the craft. They saw her floating above them.

"Fuu!" Umi yelped.

"Fuu-chan!" Hikaru cried, as the wind gently set her down. Yukito simply watched in stunned silence.

"This is……the Shrine of the Wind………a Mashin…..rests within….." Fuu murmured, before vanishing from sight.

"Fuu!" Umi shouted, then murmured, "She disappeared!" 

"Don't worry, Umi-chan! You were like that too at the Sea Shrine! Let's go in!" Hikaru said, as they started to go into the shrine.

"That's far enough, Legendary Magic Knights!" a voice growled, as the owner appeared from the gloom.

"Oh great! I guess everyone in Cephiro can't be friendly!" Umi muttered, as she, Yukito, and Hikaru armed themselves.

"**_Legendary Magic Knight. You have come to this Shrine of the Wind to don me... I am known as Windam. I am the Mashin who rests here to await the coming of a Magic Knight._**" The beast said, this one revealing itself as a huge green phoenix.

"The Mashin……is this giant bird?" Fuu asked.

"**_Legendary Magic Knight, show unto me the strength of thine heart. Prove unto me that you are worthy of donning me and becoming a true Magic Knight!_**" Windam said, before vanishing from sight.

"Strength of heart? How am I supposed to show him that?" Fuu murmured, starting when she heard a sword clattered to the ground behind her. She turned around in time to see Umi collapse.

"Gomene, Fuu-san…….." Yukito gasped, as blood ran freely down his face.

"Gomene, Fuu-chan………….we couldn't protect you……….." Hikaru whispered, before she and Yukito both collapsed.

"Hikaru-san! Umi-san! Yukito-san!" Fuu shouted, as she rushed over to them. She looked up when she heard some sinister laughing close by.

"They were weak. Not even worth mentioning." A man's voice said, from the gloom.

"Who are you?! Why did you hurt them?!" Fuu asked, as she whipped her sword out and faced the speaker. The speaker in turn revealed himself.

"I am called Innouva. I came here to kill the Magic Knights." The elfin man said, with malice in his voice.

"So you're the one who hurt my friends!" Fuu shouted, furiously, as she charged at the elf. 

"Foolish." Innouva sneered, as he unleashed an attack, forcing Fuu to shield herself from the blow. 

"_What should I do? Hikaru-san, Umi-san, and Yukito-san are counting on me!_" Fuu wondered, as she glared at Innouva.

"For a Magic Knight, you're pretty weak. Maybe this will make you reconsider becoming a Magic Knight." Innouva said, as he revealed an illusion screen, similar to the one he'd left in the cave. Fuu watched in horror as a picture of Ferio writhing in pain came into focus. Across from him, Sera lay unconscious on the cave floor.

"You used Sera-san as a disguise?!" Fuu asked, in disbelief. Innouva smiled cruelly at her.

"How else was I to find out your weakness? Now, if you swear to me that you will never become a Magic Knight, I will let him and your friends go. Swear it!" Innouva demanded, enjoying the torture he was giving her.

"Even if did that, Ferio is not one who would be happy about it. And my friends and I came all this way together!" Fuu said, remembering the believing look Ferio had given her before she and her fellow Magic Knights had left the cave.

"So what is your decision?" Innouva asked.

"I choose to fight and save Ferio!" Fuu replied. No sooner were the words out of her mouth, when brilliant green light emanated from the place where Windam had sat.

"No! It can't be!" Innouva cried, as the green phoenix reappeared.

"**_Legendary Magic Knight! I recognize your feelings as proof. Now I will reveal my true self!_**" Windam cried, as he changed form into a robot, just as Selece had done before him.

"The Mashin…………..it awake?! How is that possible?!" Innouva asked, before getting blasted by the immense power that came from Windam. Fuu watched as the armor and swords once again changed shape.

"Oh…………our armor's evolved again…….!" Hikaru said, in astonishment.

"And the swords too!" Umi commented, as the swords also shifted into new shapes.

"We all have matching outfits!" Fuu said, as they all looked over their new armor.

"That is quite true!" Yukito agreed. 

"**_Legendary Magic Knight._**" Windam said, in a booming voice. All of the Magic Knights looked up at him.

"**_Legendary Magic Knight, I recognize your feelings as proof. However, you are not yet ready to don me. I shall change my form, and become part of you…until the day you shall be ready._**" Windam said, before disappearing into the gem on the chest of Fuu's armor.

"Wow." Hikaru muttered, amazed by the sight.

"Two down, two to go." Yukito said, as he looked over his new armor.

"Right. Now let's get back to the cave and rescue Ferio! He was used as a captive!" Fuu said, as she dashed out of the inner sanctum, with her friends following close behind her. Within moments they were back at the cave.

"W-what happened?" Sera asked, as she regained consciousness.

"You were used as a disguise by a creature named Innouva." Yukito said, telling her what Fuu had told him, Hikaru, and Umi on the way down. 

"That would explain why I blacked out last night. Oh! Your friend, Ferio!" Sera yelped, looking frantic, then relieved, when she saw Fuu helping Ferio out of the bonds.

"Are you all right, Ferio?" Fuu asked.

"Yeah." Ferio replied, shaking her off and stumbling forward a little bit.

"Ferio?" Fuu asked, looking concerned.

"Fuu………it's best that I don't see you anymore………….I nearly caused you to fall back there!" Ferio said, sadly.

"What are you talking about?! It's because of you that I proved myself worthy of donning a Mashin!" Fuu said, close to tears. Ferio continued to look away from her, his head bowed with shame.

"Still, I put you in danger. I would never be able to forgive myself if anything happened to you. It's best that I don't see you. See ya." Ferio said, as he ran off. 

"Ferio!" Fuu cried, as tears ran down her face. 

"Fuu-san." Yukito murmured, his own heart aching for Fuu. But he understood what Ferio was going through as well.

"Fuu-chan?" Hikaru asked. Fuu jumped and turned to face her.

"It's funny……….I suddenly seem to have started crying……….." Fuu said, as she wiped her eyes. 

"It's perfectly all right to cry, Fuu-san." Yukito said, understandingly.

"Fuu-san?" Sera asked, meekly.

"Huh?" Fuu asked, as she looked at Sera.

"Don't worry. If you wish hard enough, he'll come back to you. I think he loves you too much to stay away forever." Sera said, reassuringly. Fuu stared at Sera in disbelief.

"Yeah! That's right! Cephiro is the land of the will! If you really will him to, you'll see him again, Fuu-chan!" Hikaru said, with a smile. Fuu stood for a moment and let what her friends had said sink in. Then she smiled at them.

"Yes! I will see him again!" Fuu said, confidently. 

"_Cephiro is the land of the will. I know Fuu-san's will is strong enough to bring our friend Ferio back. I also believe this._" Yukito thought, as he turned his gaze to the moon above them.

"Next stop, the midday moon! C'mon Yukito!" Umi shouted.

"Coming! But what about you, Sera-san?" Yukito asked, pausing by the girl. Sera smiled.

"Don't worry about me. I've got to get back to town and give these herbs to my brother. Maybe we'll meet again someday!" Sera said, before grabbing her basket and running down the path, turning and waving when she'd gotten far enough away. Yukito waved back, then joined his companions. They still had their quest. 

Zagato looked up when Innouva limped into the throne room. His clothes were singed and still had smoke rising from them.

"I am sorry, Zagato-sama. I failed." Innouva said, wincing as he sank to one knee before his master.

"I am not angry with you, Innouva. I still have one trick up my sleeve, but I will save that for later. For now, go see to your wounds." Zagato said, coolly. 

"Yes, milord." Innouva said, before bowing and leaving the throne room. 


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six: Awakening of the Moon Mashin and the Journey to the Volcano

The flight to the moon didn't take as long as they had thought. This time, the landing was much smoother. As they all stepped out of the craft, Hikaru noticed a change take place in Yukito's demeanor.

"I can feel it………….the Mashin………..is calling me…….." Yukito murmured, before he vanished from sight.

"Here we go again." Umi muttered, as Fuu gave her a confused look. 

"Let's go in after him!" Hikaru said, as they went into the shrine keep. When Yukito reappeared, he was standing in the inner sanctum of the shrine.

"**_Young man, who was summoned to Cephiro to become a Magic Knight. I am known as Yue. I am the Mashin who dwells here, waiting for the one who will don me._**" a majestic voice said, as the owner of it appeared.

"This is………….a Mashin………….? A giant winged lion?" Yukito asked, as the beast lowered its head and looked at him, with infinitely wise eyes.

"**_Show unto me, the strength of heart, worthy of donning me._**" Yue continued, before an earsplitting roar came from the outer sanctum and yells of surprise were heard.

"Hikaru-san! Umi-san! Fuu-san! Hang on! I'm coming!" Yukito shouted, as he unsheathed his sword and started in their direction.

"**_Do not move, young man. Let them be._**" Yue commanded. Yukito paused for a moment and looked back at the Mashin.

"Why? Why shouldn't I help my friends? They could die without my help!" Yukito shouted, becoming even more desperate when he heard screams of pain come from the three girls.

"**_You should be more concerned about your own welfare. You want to go home, don't you?_**" Yue asked.

"Yes, I want to go home, but I am not going to let them die! We came here together, fought together, and will return to Tokyo together! I swore to them that I will protect them with all of my strength, and that is what I will do! I don't care about reviving a Mashin, I just want those girls to be safe from harm! I would sacrifice my life for them!" Yukito shouted, furiously. He winced when brilliant light filled the room.

"**_I acknowledge your feelings for your comrades as proof. You are indeed worthy of becoming a Magic Knight. However, your heart is not yet ready to don me, so I will wait within you, until the time is right._**" Yue said, as he assumed the robot form, then disappeared into Yukito's armor. Yukito turned around when he felt an extra weight on his shoulders and found that his armor now had a cape added to it!

"Yukito-chan!" Hikaru shouted, as she and the other two girls appeared, without a scratch on them.

"You're…………..you are all okay!" Yukito shouted, relieved that the girls were unharmed.

"Of course we are! This time there wasn't anything dangerous waiting for us!" Umi said.

"So what I heard wasn't you! The Mashin was making me hear that!" Yukito said, momentarily angry with the Mashin for pulling such a dirty trick.

"What're you talking about, Yukito-chan?" Hikaru asked, looking very confused.

"Never mind, Hikaru-san. Let's go. We still have one more Mashin to revive." Yukito said, as they all left the inner sanctum. Umi hummed as they descended from the Moon Shrine; they had revived two Mashin in one day!

"This is great! We have one more Mashin to revive and then we can save Cephiro and go home!" Umi said, as the flying bowl landed on solid ground and they all got off. 

"It's somewhat hard to believe. We've already revived three Mashin. It's all happened so quickly." Fuu said, as she gazed at the terrain they now had to cover in order to get to the last Mashin.

Far away, Emeraude sobbed softly to herself. She could feel Cephiro crumbling.

"Hurry………come quickly………Legendary Magic Knights….Before it's too late….Hurry!" Emeraude pleaded, as she shuddered with pain.

"Do you suffer?" Zagato's voice asked. Emeraude looked up at him with surprise in her eyes.

"Stop……please………Zagato…..If you don't stop, Cephiro will truly face destruction!" Emeraude said, as she faced the ghostly image of the High Priest.

"My heart will not change." Zagato replied, coldly, then added," If this world should turn to dust…If all who live here should pass away…My heart will not change. Emeraude… The Mashin Selece…The Mashin Windam…and The Mashin Yue… those children from another world have awakened three Mashin from their long slumber… Leaving only one…the red Mashin that rests in the Shrine of Fire." Zagato said, as he turned to a figure that stood beside him. Emeraude stared in shock when she recognized who it was.

"Lafarga!" Emeraude yelped.

"That's right. Lafarga, Captain of the Inner Guard, sworn to protect you! Although, with your heart's support, there was no war in Cephiro. The Inner Guard was commissioned to subdue the occasional monster. Do you believe that these children you summoned to become Magic Knights will survive against the strongest of all warriors, Dal Lafarga?" Zagato sneered, getting a horrified response from Emeraude.

"No!!! Stop, Lafarga! You mustn't!" Emeraude screamed, as the proud warrior stood silently before Zagato. 

"It's no use, I already cast a spell to control his heart." Zagato said, his voice as cold as ice. Emeraude was horrified.

"How could you?!" Emeraude screamed, not believing what Zagato had done to her loyal captain of the guards. 

"Go, Lafarga! And return to this castle with the heads of the Magic Knights!" Zagato ordered. Lafarga bowed and walked away.

"Please don't! Lafarga!! LAFARGA!!" Emeraude screamed, as the warrior walked out, oblivious to the princess' pleas.

Mokona bounced happily along in front of the four Magic Knights, leading the way to the last shrine.

"Whew! The air seems to be thinning!" Yukito gasped, as he stopped to catch his breath.

"Yes. It seems that we're now on a higher altitude." Fuu breathed, as she stopped alongside Yukito and Umi came to a stop behind them. 

"Hey! C'mon you guys! One more Mashin to go!" Hikaru shouted, cheerfully.

"It seems as though you have limitless energy, Hikaru-san!" Yukito said, as he wiped his face with a handkerchief. Hikaru laughed.

"I know that things are sorta tough right now, but we're bound to get there! Besides, you guys all have Mashin now! It's my turn, now!" Hikaru said, with a smile.

"You are right, of course. Let's get going!" Umi said, as they all started walking again. Then they stopped, Mokona had stopped at a cliff and was looking down at something that evidently made its nerves turn to mush.

"What's wrong, Mokona?" Umi asked, looking down when Mokona pointed at what had scared it. Below them, a huge monster sat, eating something.

"Ugh! It looks like it's eating something!" Umi muttered, disgusted. The monster heard them and looked up.

"Yeah, and we are the dessert!" Fuu said, as they all started running. 

"Take this, ugly!" Umi shouted, as she got her sword out and attacked the beast. The monster yowled in pain as Umi's sword lanced it's flesh. 

"Umi! Move!" Yukito shouted, belatedly, as the monster flew into the air, grabbed Umi, and started flying off with her. Fuu looked away when she heard Umi's sword fall to the ground near them.

"We must get that to her!" Fuu shouted, as she ran over and pick up the blade. Instantaneously, the sword turned into something that looked like water and flowed from Fuu's grasp, resuming its shape on the ground.

"It…….turned into water!" Hikaru yelped.

"Hang on, Umi-san!" Yukito shouted, as he ran to keep up with the beast.

"Umi-san, here!" Fuu shouted, as she got her own sword out and tossed it to Umi. Umi grabbed it, but the moment she did, it became extremely heavy. When she dropped it, Fuu caught it neatly in her hands. It was then that a figure appeared and killed the beast. Umi screamed as she fell through the air. 

"Umi-san!" Yukito shouted, as he leaped into the air, caught her, and landed safely back on the ground.

"Wow! That was amazing, Yukito-chan!" Hikaru cheered, as she and Fuu ran to rejoin them.

"Yeah, Yukito………you're my hero!" Umi said, planting a kiss on Yukito's cheek. Yukito blushed deeply and gently set Umi down. Hikaru and Fuu giggled at Yukito's embarrassed expression, then looked when they saw a figure approaching them.

"Hey, that's the guy that killed that monster!" Umi said, as she watched the man come closer.

"Hey! Thank you for saving our friend Umi!" Hikaru said, with a polite bow. The man remained silent.

"I don't think he heard you, Hikaru-san." Fuu said, as she glanced at the tall warrior.

"Hey! Thanks for saving me!" Umi said, gratefully. It was then that the ground was torn apart by a powerful unseen force. 

"Everyone! Something isn't right!" Yukito shouted, as he leaped to avoid getting hit. 

"What just happened?!" Hikaru asked, as she and Fuu looked at the man. He had a sword out and looked prepared to kill. 

"Who are you? Why are you attacking us?!" Hikaru shouted.

"I have been sent to kill the Magic Knights. I can only return to the castle if I have your heads!" the man said, ominously.

"Then why did you save my life?!" Umi asked, not believing what she was hearing.

"If I had let that monster kill you, then I would not be able to complete my mission for Zagato-sama." The man replied, before swiping at them again.

"He's using wind pressure!" Fuu shouted, before another onslaught caught her, Umi and Yukito by surprise.

"Fuu-chan! Umi-chan! Yukito-chan!" Hikaru screamed, as they were trapped in a rockslide-like trap. Angrily, Hikaru turned and faced the man.

"Who are you?!" Hikaru asked, furiously.

"Dal Lafarga." The man replied. With a fury filled yell, Hikaru charged at Lafarga, determined to beat him. Yukito watched helplessly as Hikaru fought against Lafarga. It was a tough battle, but deep inside he knew that Hikaru would win. He gasped when he saw Hikaru get knocked to the ground. He winced when he tried to move, rocks cutting into his legs, abdomen, and arms when he tried to get free. Just when it seemed that Lafarga was going to kill Hikaru with her own sword, the sword burst into flames. Lafarga cried out in agony as the flames covered him. Hikaru watched as he slumped to the ground, unconscious. 

"Hikaru-san………is he……….?" Yukito asked, as Hikaru got closer to the man and touched his singed shoulderguard. Lafarga moaned and came to, looking up at Hikaru with confused, crystalline blue eyes. 

"W-where am I……….? How did I get here?" Lafarga asked, then looked at Hikaru, who was bleeding heavily from the fight.

"Did I……………?" Lafarga asked, before wincing and putting a hand to his head. Hikaru smiled. 

"It's all right. You were under Zagato's control. You had no control over what you were doing." Hikaru said, comfortingly. 

"I'm sorry." Lafarga said, nonetheless.

"Hey! Could you guys please get us out of here?!" Umi asked, shouting to get their attention. After Lafarga had gotten them free, Hikaru gave him back his sword.

"Are you sure that you aren't hurting at all, Lafarga-san?" Hikaru asked, concerned about the warrior.

"Whatever pain there still is, it will pass. So don't worry about me. By the way, who are you?" Lafarga asked.

"We're just travelers, on the way to our final destination, the Fire Shrine." Yukito replied.

"Then you must be…………..!" Lafarga muttered, trailing off.

"Well, we're not full Magic Knights yet, but we soon will be!" Umi said, as Lafarga sighed and smiled quietly. 

"Well, I guess I must go. There's still people who need protecting. Fare thee well, Magic Knights." Lafarga said, before turning and walking down a path. When he had disappeared, Hikaru turned to her fellow Magic Knights.

"Well, shall we continue on our way?" Hikaru asked. She got a nod of response, and, since their wounds had already taken care of by Fuu, they got back on track. They didn't stop walking till they had the volcano within their sights. 


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven: The Red Mashin Awakens, the Truth, and the Final Battle

Hikaru and her companions stood in awed silence as they looked up at the massive doors to the shrine.

"The sea, the mountain, and the moon each concealed a Mashin. The last Mashin must be in here." Fuu said, quietly. 

"Yes." Hikaru said, as she gazed at the huge red doors. 

"We've come a long way since the beginning of our adventures. Now we're about to close another chapter of adventures." Yukito murmured, as a hot breeze blew past them. Almost instantly, the doors blew open and flames burst forth from within the shrine, engulfing Hikaru.

"Hikaru-san!" Fuu and Yukito shouted, in unison.

"Hikaru!" Umi screamed, as Hikaru was whisked into the shrine and the doors were slammed shut behind her. Inside the shrine, Hikaru became aware that something was there amidst the flames. She turned to look, and found herself gazing into a pair of wise, ruby eyes.

"_A lion? A wolf? A mane of fire_……….." Hikaru thought, as she gazed at the beast.

"**_Your name?_**" the beast inquired.

"I'm Hikaru." Hikaru replied, hesitantly.

"**_I am called Rayearth. I am the Mashin who has waited the eons for a Magic Knight here in this Shrine of Fire._**" The beast said, with a powerful, calm voice.

"A Mashin…….You're the Legendary Mashin……" Hikaru trailed off, awestruck by the sight.

"**_Girl from another world…summoned her by the Pillar of Cephiro…Do you desire from your heart, to become a true Magic Knight?_**" Rayearth asked.

"Yes! I want to become a Magic Knight and save Cephiro!" Hikaru replied, bravely.

"**_Then present me proof that you are worthy to don me. Show me the strength of heart worthy to become a Magic Knight and don me. Present me proof!_**" Rayearth commanded, before rushing at her and whisking her back outside. Hikaru landed, just as Yukito, Umi and Fuu were thrown aside by something powerful. 

"Yukito-chan! Fuu-chan! Umi-chan!" Hikaru screamed, as she rushed over to where the three lay. Whatever that had attack them, had been powerful enough to disintegrate their armor.

"So, you have finally emerged." A sinister voice sneered from behind.

"Zagato!" Hikaru cried, as the High Priest of Cephiro emerged. He smiled at her; a smile that chilled Hikaru right down to her bones. She looked back at her unconscious friends, then faced the evil man before her. 

"I am surprised that you could make it this far! But this is the end, you little pest." Zagato said, as he sent a spell flying at Hikaru. Hikaru screamed and winced, preparing for the blow. It never made it.

"Huh?" Hikaru asked, then saw a familiar figure appear on top of a rock.

"Lafarga!" Hikaru shouted, relieved to see the warrior. Lafarga smiled down at her, briefly, then glared at Zagato.

"So, you've managed to escape my spell, Dal Lafarga." Zagato murmured, not sounding in the least bit impressed. 

"Zagato, I may have lost in a fight against you once, but I won't lose again! Prepare yourself!" Lafarga shouted, as he launched himself at Zagato. Zagato vanished before Lafarga could reach him. 

"Eh?!" Lafarga grunted, before Zagato blasted him from behind.

"Lafarga!" Hikaru screamed, as Lafarga was blown forward and landed in front of her. But he didn't stay down for long. With a grimace, Lafarga got to his feet again, leaning on his sword for balance.

"Lafarga! Please! Don't fight him anymore!" Hikaru begged, as Lafarga stubbornly stood back up and faced Zagato.

"I can still fight! C'mon!" Lafarga growled, before Hikaru got in front of him, shielding him with her body.

"Magic Knight!" Lafarga gasped, in astonishment.

"You're willing to risk your life to protect him?" Zagato asked, amusedly. 

"You bet!" Hikaru snapped, boldly. 

"Then die." Zagato said, as he sent another spell roaring at her. Lafarga then did something that Hikaru wasn't expecting, he took her place and shielded her from the oncoming blast. Lafarga ****groaned in pain as the spell struck his back full-force. Across from them, Yukito roused up in time to see Lafarga crumple to the ground in front of Hikaru. 

"Lafarga!!" Hikaru screamed, as she tried to get him to wake up, but couldn't. Once again, Hikaru was alone, she glanced back at her four comrades and saw them all watching with pain filled eyes. 

"I will not lose!" Hikaru shouted, furiously, after Zagato had rammed her into the doors of the shrine. 

"Well, since I can see the strength of your convictions, then I will use my greatest spell to send you to your grave!" Zagato sneered, as he sent a huge spell flying at Hikaru.

"No! Don't!" Fuu, Umi and Yukito cried, as they helplessly watched the spell close in on their friend. Then a miracle happened. Hikaru was bracing herself for impact when a column of fire intercepted the blast.

"What?!" Zagato asked, as the earth quaked beneath him.

"**_Magic Knight, I recognize the strength of your feeling for your friends and comrades as proof._**" Rayearth said, before light engulfed all of the Magic Knights and new armor appeared. At the same time, Rayearth had assumed his robotic appearance.

"**_Children from another world, summoned by Cephiro's pillar. Don us now and become true Magic Knights._**" The four Mashin said in unison, as they all became visible before them.

"Our swords are reacting to the Mashin!" Hikaru shouted, as their swords reappeared in their hands and started glowing. Within seconds they were inside of the Mashin.

"Is this………." Hikaru began.

"Inside the Mashin?" Yukito finished, as he glanced around.

"So this is what it means to don the Mashin….." Hikaru murmured, before getting back to business.

"Selece!" Umi cried.

"Windam!" Fuu shouted.

"Yue!" Yukito joined.

"Rayearth!" Hikaru finished. Reacting to their names being said, the four Mashin lifted off. Upon looking back Hikaru spotted Lafarga, who looked ragged, but stood and watched them leave.

"Good luck, Magic Knights." Lafarga said, as he watched them head off to their destiny. Then he sank to his knees and passed out. Mokona stayed by him, knowing that it's job of leading the Magic Knights was over.

Zagato winced as he limped back into the waterfall room, where Innouva now waited.

"Zagato-sama!" Innouva yelped, as he went to his master's side.

"Innouva, please, leave, I need to speak to Emeraude." Zagato said, hiding his pain from his servant. Innouva looked as though he wanted to argue, but then shut his mouth and left the room, respecting his master's request. 

"Emeraude….." Zagato murmured, as the vision of the young girl appeared before him.

"Why, Zagato? Why do you do this? Don't you know that Cephiro is crumbling?" Emeraude asked, tearfully.

"Yes. But that doesn't matter to me…….." Zagato trailed off and grimaced in pain. Emeraude gasped when she saw blood dripping from a deep wound in Zagato's shoulder.

"You're hurt!" Emeraude said, suddenly concerned about Zagato.

"It's nothing…….." Zagato said, but watched in stunned silence as Emeraude whispered a spell and healed his wounds. When the pain had vanished, Zagato pulled himself to his full height.

"Just what do you think you're doing, healing this wound?" Zagato asked. Emeraude was stuck for an answer. 

"You know that I can now destroy those Magic Knights." Zagato said, with a smile. Again, Emeraude said nothing. Then Zagato's expression softened and he whispered something to Emeraude only she could hear, then walked out. 

"It's strange……." Hikaru murmured, as they flew away from the mountains. The other Magic Knights looked at her.

"What is, Hikaru-san?" Yukito asked.

"This doesn't feel like the inside of those Mashin….It feels like I'm flying on my own." Hikaru said, getting a murmured agreement from her friends.

"Hey Fuu, Yukito, can you two see okay?" Umi asked, remembering that they both wore glasses and that their final armors didn't have their glasses with them.

"I can see fine, Umi-san." Yukito replied. 

"Yes. Even without my glasses, I can see you, Yukito-san and Hikaru-san just fine, Umi-san." Fuu replied.

"I wonder if that's part of the armor as well?" Hikaru said.

"It could very well be, Hikaru-san." Yukito murmured. 

"Magic Knights!" a familiar voice called out.

"Princess Emeraude!" the four cried in unison.

"We've become Magic Knights, Princess Emeraude! Where are you?" Hikaru asked. In response, the orb Fuu carried emitted a light that pointed straight up through the clouds.

"Follow the light to its source. Hurry, there isn't much time left! Hurry!" Emeraude's voice said, before it faded completely. 

"Okay! Let's go!" Hikaru shouted, as she led the way. As they all flew, they became aware that it was getting increasingly darker the farther they flew. Finally, they caught sight of an imposing crystal fortress. On one of the tiers, Hikaru saw a shadowy figure standing there.

"Who's there?!" Hikaru yelped, as they all came to a stop.

"So, you've finally come. Legendary Magic Knights!" a voice they knew all too well said, menacingly. Then they realized what they were seeing was another Mashin!

"Is that a Mashin?!" Hikaru asked.

"Does Zagato have one too?!" Umi also asked, stunned that there could possibly be a fifth Mashin. 

"I poured all of my soul's energy into making this. Just to destroy the Legendary Magic Knights!" Zagato shouted, as he stood ready to fight. With graceful moves, the four Magic Knights brought out their swords, taking up the challenge Zagato had presented to them. The battle began.

"Water Dragon!" Umi shouted, sending her attack at Zagato.

"Moon Arrow!" Yukito cried, joining his attack with Umi's

"Guardian Wind!" Fuu shouted, directing her attack in through the side.

"Flame Arrow!" Hikaru cried, directing her attack at Zagato's head. Zagato laughed and easily blew the Magic Knights back.

"The legend will not come to pass. With this hand, I will crush the Magic Knights! _Reksas!_ Night Strike!" Zagato shouted, sending a powerful attack at the Magic Knights. 

"Moon Shield!" Yukito cried, jumping in front of the three female Knights and taking the brunt of the blast.

"Yukito!" Umi shouted.

"Stop it, Yukito-chan! You'll get killed!" Hikaru cried, as Yukito did his best to protect his friends. Yukito smiled back at them, and continued to try and hold Zagato off. He lasted a few seconds more, then his shield shattered, sending the four Knights flying. 

"Umi-chan! Fuu-chan! Yukito-chan!" Hikaru shouted, when they came to a stop.

"Uhh………Hikaru-san……." Fuu moaned.

"Hikaru………….." Umi whimpered, as she came to her senses. Yukito painfully propped himself up on his elbow and looked at the three girls.

"Daijobu ka, minna-san?" Yukito asked.

"Hai." Hikaru said, then added, "We can't quit now! If we defeat Zagato, we can go back to Tokyo! We can do what we were summoned to Cephiro to do! We can save Princess Emeraude! We can save Cephiro!"

"We gotten this far together……." Umi said, as she stood back up.

"Let's see it through to the end!" Yukito said, finishing Umi's thought.

"We won't give up! We won't lose!" Hikaru said, as they all stood together again. 

"Why did you kidnap Princess Emeraude?! Isn't she the pillar that supports Cephiro?! If she doesn't pray for Cephiro's peace, this world will come apart!" Hikaru shouted, hoping she could reach Zagato with her words.

"Why must the Princess pray for Cephiro's peace?" Zagato asked, almost sounding rational. 

"Huh?!" the four Knights asked, caught off guard by the answer.

"Why must only Princess Emeraude pray for Cephiro's peace? _Deablo!_ Silver Death!!" Zagato cried, blowing the Magic Knights back with another powerful spell. 

"What…..do you mean…..? Hikaru asked, as she picked herself up from where she'd landed.

"Cephiro's pillar has no freedom. She may only pray for the safety of this world. Why must Emeraude live chained to the fate of the pillar?" Zagato asked, sounding very sad at that moment.

"_Stratos!_ Night Explosion!" Zagato cried, bombarding the Magic Knights with yet another attack.

"We can't……..give up……." Umi said, as she struggled to stand back up.

"We're going home to Tokyo together……" Fuu sobbed, as she got back to her feet.

"I will live up to the promises I've made……." Yukito vowed, as he too stood.

"I won't let…….my best friends die.

"We will triumph!" the four shouted together, as power filled them.

"Light Spiral!!!!" the four Knights cried, sending the blinding attack at Zagato. As his Mashin disintegrated around him, Zagato smiled wistfully, even though the pain that seared through him was great.

"Emeraude………..Please……….Be free………." Zagato murmured, as blackness washed over him. He didn't hear Emeraude's heartrending scream as she felt him pass from the mortal realm.

"We did it! Now we can go back to Tokyo! We can save Cephiro!" Hikaru said, as she and her comrades looked ahead of them.

"Minna, now we can do what Princess Emeraude asked us to. We've revived the Mashin and defeated Zagato… Now we can save Cephiro! We're going back to Tokyo!" Hikaru said, as she led them to the castle.

"And soon our loved ones won't have to worry." Yukito said, as he followed the girls into the castle. Quietly, they all touched down inside the castle and looked around. Hikaru gasped in surprise when she saw a woman standing there, watching them.

"Who are you?" Hikaru asked.

"I am Emeraude." The woman replied.

"Princess Emeraude?!" Hikaru yelped, in surprise.

"B-but…..when you helped us at Eterna……….." Umi trailed off.

"You looked like…….a little girl…….." Fuu said, completing Umi's thought.

"Are you really……..Princess Emeraude?" Yukito asked.

"I am Emeraude." The woman said, in a sad, faraway tone. 

"She looks like the girl we saw at Eterna, but……." Umi trailed off, sensing something wasn't right.

"Her beautiful gold hair…..and the color of her eyes are the same……" Fuu commented.

"Princess Emeraude…..we've done as Madoushi Clef taught us. With weapons made by Presea, and Mokona's guidance we've revived the Mashin." Hikaru said, quietly.

"Zagato………." Emeraude whispered.

"We've defeated Zagato by donning these Mashin." Hikaru explained. It was then that Emeraude snapped.

"Something's wrong!" Yukito shouted, as power pulsated around Emeraude.

"You were the ones who killed Zagato……….You killed my beloved Zagato!" Emeraude screamed, furiously.

"What?!" Hikaru cried, as the castle started crumbling around them.

"I hate you!" Emeraude screamed, as something emerged behind her. Before the Magic Knights could react, they were pulled back inside of the Mashin.

"What the……..?!" Yukito yelped, when he found himself safely inside of his Mashin.

"We're inside the Mashin?!" Umi shouted, from within Selece.

"They saved us!" Hikaru cried, in surprise.

"The castle's coming down!" Fuu shouted, over the noise of the collapsing structure. 

"We've got to get out of here!" Umi cried, as they all flew quickly out, with Emeraude on their tails.

"This is………..Zagato's sword……………I'll kill you with his sword! Magic Knights!" Emeraude screamed, as she armed herself with the sword.

"What's going on?! Isn't that Princess Emeraude?" Hikaru asked, as she and her comrades flew away from the castle.

"I hate you! I won't forgive you! Light Attack!" Emeraude shrieked, as she attacked the Knights.

"Look out!" Yukito shouted, as he and the female Knights dodged Emeraude's attack.

"Look!" Fuu yelped. The ground had been severely split by the attack.

"She split the ground with one swipe!" Umi commented.

"Are you really Princess Emeraude?!" Hikaru asked, not believing that Emeraude could be so violent.

"Yes…..I am Emeraude of Cephiro." Emeraude replied, with insanity flashing in her eyes.

"But you were the one who summoned us to Cephiro! Why are you attacking us?!" Hikaru asked. Then a brief image flashed before the eyes of the Magic Knights; the vision of what Emeraude had looked like at Eterna!

"What was that?!" Umi asked, not believing what she'd just seen.

"That was the Princess Emeraude who helped us at Eterna!" Fuu said, in response to Umi's question.

"Ultimate Death!" Emeraude screamed.

"Move!" Yukito shouted, but wasn't quick enough to dodge the attack.

"Eeaaaghhh!!!!!!!!" the four Knights screamed, as the attack struck them. 

"P-princess Emeraude….." Hikaru moaned, as she tried to sit up.

"Magic Kn----t………." Princess Emeraude's image cried.

"Light Attack!" Emeraude cried.

"Guardian Wind!" Fuu shouted.

"Moon Shield!" Yukito joined, as he added his strength to Fuu's. It didn't last and both protective spells buckled beneath the crushing force of Emeraude's attack. Fuu, Umi, and Yukito were blown back into the stone face of a cliff.

"Umi-chan! Fuu-chan! Yukito-chan!" Hikaru shouted, as she ran over to the three fallen Knights.

"Magic Knights……." Princess Emeraude whispered.

"Princess Emeraude?!" Hikaru yelped.

"This voice…………" Umi whispered.

"It's the same………" Yukito said, coughing up dust and some blood as he looked at the image. 

"You're right……She's the one we heard at Eterna……." Fuu murmured.

"So it isn't Princess Emeraude in that Mashin! The real Princess is still locked away somewhere! Princess Emeraude! Where are you? We'll save you!" Hikaru shouted.

"No, I'm here…….This is me….." Princess Emeraude said, softly.

"What do you mean?" Umi asked.

"I am the one riding this Mashin. This foolish woman who chose to live for the one she loved, rather than be the pillar of Cephiro." Princess Emeraude replied, sadly.

"The one…….." Yukito began.

"She loved……….?" Umi finished, not believing what she was hearing.

"You summoned us from Tokyo! You brought us here from another world! We heard you at Tokyo Tower!" Hikaru shouted.

"Help save our world…." Umi started.

"Legendary……" Fuu continued.

"Magic Knights!" Hikaru and Yukito finished.

"Yes…I summoned you, Legendary Magic Knights, to save Cephiro….." Princess Emeraude admitted, tearfully.

"Didn't we save Cephiro by defeating your kidnapper, Zagato?! You couldn't pray for Cephiro because Zagato had you locked away…..that's why Cephiro turned into a world full of chaos with all those monsters, wasn't it?!" Hikaru cried.

"You're wrong……It wasn't Zagato's fault…..it was all because of me. In Cephiro, everything is decided by the will. The Pillar must pray only for this world's peace and happiness. But, in spite of that, I fell in love……with Zagato. My love for Zagato made me think of him, more than Cephiro. I forgot my duty as Pillar. I would be glad if only Zagato were happy….it was such a horrible thing for me to think……" Emeraude explained, guiltily.

"Then you weren't imprisoned….." Hikaru muttered.

"Not by Zagato…..I entered the water dungeon of my own free will. I thought if I could stop seeing Zagato….I could learn to forget him. But….I couldn't do it." Emeraude said, tearfully.

"Then the monsters appearing in this world……" Fuu trailed off.

"Wasn't because of Zagato………..?" Umi asked.

"Cephiro is a world where the heart rules….If only I had the will, it wouldn't matter where I was, or what obstacles befell me, I could pray for the peace of this world." Emeraude said.

"No way….." Yukito muttered, as things became horribly clear to him.

"I summoned the Legendary Magic Knights…….so that you could kill me." Emeraude said, dropping the proverbial bombshell onto the unsuspecting Magic Knights.

"The Pillar may not take her own life, and no one in Cephiro may harm the Pillar….If anything would happen to the Pillar that supports it, Cephiro itself would be destroyed. That's why the Pillar alone has the special power of summoning. A power to bring Knights from a world other than Cephiro…in order to kill oneself.." Emeraude continued.

"Then the legend we've been hearing about since this whole thing began is this?!" Umi asked, horrified by what she'd just heard.

"Then the Magic Knights don the Mashin because they wouldn't be able to win against the Pillar of Cephiro on their own……." Fuu murmured, understanding the reason behind the Mashin.

"Please,……..kill me……." Princess Emeraude begged.

"I'll kill you! With Zagato's sword, I'll kill you!" Emeraude screamed, hysterically.

"Please, before this me is lost…..In a moment, my heart will fill with hatred…..If that happens, I know I will pray for the complete destruction of Cephiro….Legendary Magic Knights……kill me……save Cephiro…." Princess Emeraude pleaded.

"But…….we can't do that…..I CAN'T DO IT!" Hikaru screamed, before Emeraude stabbed at her with the sword. Hikaru stared in shock as the sharp point of Zagato's sword emerged on the other side of Yukito's shoulder.

"Yukito!!!" Umi screamed, as Yukito fell back, crying out in pain, as blood spurted from the wound. Emeraude snickered, wickedly.

"I won't kill you quickly……I'll make you suffer….." Emeraude said, with a laugh.

"Yukito-chan……..you saved me again……" Hikaru whispered, as she held Yukito.

"I must do all I can………to protect my dear little sister…………so full of strength……." Yukito murmured, repeating something Umi had said, earlier. 

"Please….grant my wish……" Princess Emeraude pleaded.

"I can't…….I can't……." Hikaru sobbed.

"Please Magic Knights…..grant my one true wish…….send me to be with Zagato…….Let me think only of him. Let me be together with him. Magic Knights….please grant me my first and last……selfish wish……" Princess Emeraude begged, tearfully. Hikaru then let out a loud cry and the other three Mashin converged onto Rayearth, combining their strengths into one mighty Mashin. Just as they had emerged from Eterna, Umi, Fuu, and Hikaru stood back to back and almost side to side, and Yukito stood behind them, with his arms raised in a shielding gesture behind them.

"DIE MAGIC KNIGHTS!" Emeraude screamed, as she charged at the single Mashin. With one swipe of their combined sword, the Magic Knights stabbed Emeraude through the heart.

"Zagato…….finally……….I belong to you alone……..my love…….." Emeraude murmured, as she disappeared in a brilliant flash of light.

TOKYO TOWER

"Wow! That light was incredible! Don't ya think, Hikaru-chan?" one of Hikaru's classmates asked, turning and gaping in astonishment at what she saw. Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu stood together in a collective embrace, tears cascading down their faces. Yukito stood behind Umi and Fuu, holding all three of them in his arms, also with tears flowing down his face. 

"It's not fair! IT'S NOT FAIR!" Hikaru screamed, as all three girls turned and buried their faces into Yukito's jacket and he continued to hold them, even though they were being stared at by their classmates, who didn't even have a clue as to what had just happened to them.

THE END………


End file.
